Welcome to the BAU Family
by socialgal5
Summary: Emily adopts a seventeen year old named Stella, who grows to think of the entire team as her family. But, will Reid come to mean a little more? Read and see. Also features Hotch/Prentiss future relationship.Features the entire team as well.Epilogue up now
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

Emily Prentiss stared at the teenage girl sitting on the back of the ambulance, a blanket around her shoulders, talking to Derek about what she'd been through.

They'd been on the case for a week now, trying to figure out who was abducting teenage girls who had moved from foster home to foster home. The unsub killed their current foster parents, kept them for twenty-four hours, then brutally murdered them. Finally, after six girls had been killed and a seventh abducted, the team had caught a break. Their profile had flagged someone and they'd manage to arrest him and save the seventh victim, Stella Weir, a seventeen year old who had been in five foster homes in the year since her parents had died in a car wreck.

"She'll be okay," Hotch remarked quietly to Emily, coming to stand by her side.

Emily shook her head. "She's had a hard life since her parents died. Never knowing if you're going to like your new family—it must be hard. I don't think I could do that."

"She's a strong girl," Aaron assured her. "She'll be fine."

"Hotch, this case has me thinking…" Emily began.

"Go on," Hotch told her, vaguely wondering if what he was anticipating her to say was about to come.

"I've always wanted to be a mother, but I don't have time to have a baby right now—not with this job. But a teenager—I could take care of a teenager. I'd like to adopt this girl, Hotch."

"Emily, you barely know anything about her!" Hotch exclaimed. "This is a huge responsibility you're talking abo—"

Prentiss' eyes grew angry. "I'm not a child myself, Hotch! I know what I'm asking and I know what comes with it! I'm not married so obviously I'm not going to have kids that way!" With that, she turned and strode away from her Boss.

Hotch had thought over Emily's words carefully. Of course he was being insensitive. He had a son whom he valued more than anything. Without Jack, some of the cases the team worked would be absolutely unbearable. Now, Emily was asking to adopt a teenage girl in need of a loving family—not another foster family who might send her on in a few weeks. He was denying both parties.

He spoke to the local Child Services first and the woman in charge thought that the idea was brilliant. It would get Stella away from the place where she'd had such a traumatic experience as well as placing her with someone who would understand what she'd been through. Hotch had run the idea by Stella, who seemed compliant enough with the idea of being adopted by the kind, gentle brunette FBI Agent. The truth was, she wasn't sure exactly what she wanted, except that she needed to get away from this town and what had happened to her.

Finally, Hotch went to Emily. She was still mad at him, even though she was trying desperately to pretend that she wasn't.

"I arranged everything, if you're still game," he told her quietly.

Emily stared at him in disbelief. "Are you serious? I thought you didn't like the idea."

Hotch shook his head regretfully and took one of her hands in his. "I'm sorry for everything I said. I didn't it through. I guess…I was just so surprised. But the idea of you, as a mother, is…pleasant. You'll be great at it."

She looked up at him and smiled. "Thank you, Aaron. That means a lot to me." Very quickly, she kissed his cheek and then walked away, leaving him in shock at her gesture.


	2. A new home and a new family

Chapter 1

_Written from the perspective of Stella Weir. _

During the long flight back to Washington, D.C., I sat next to FBI Agent Emily Prentiss, the woman who was going to be my foster mom until she could officially adopt me. She had talked to me about it and I had readily agreed. After my parents had been killed a year ago, I had been put in a foster home. Since then, I'd moved from family to family. None of them had fit. I never seemed to bond with any of the families, or they with me.

I'd been with my fifth family for about a month when, late one night, someone had come into the house, killed them, and kidnapped me. He had been minutes away from murdering me when the FBI team burst through the door and saved my life.

Immediately, I'd seen how sweet and gentle Agent Prentiss was. She had gone to the hospital with me and had gone out of her way to get me some clean clothes. Then, she had stayed with me until someone from Child Services had come to get me, and even then, she had been reluctant to let them take me.

The next day, one of the Social Services workers had come to me and asked me how I'd like to be adopted by the kind FBI agent. I'd move to D.C. and live with her. It would be a change of scenery and a change of towns. I wanted to get away from everything that this little town reminded me off—death and horror.

"You'll like D.C.," Emily told me. "It's busier than Lincolnton, though."

I looked out the window, smiling a little. "I've always wanted to live in a big city," I replied quietly.

"Is Lincolnton the only place you've lived?" young Dr. Reid asked me.

I nodded. "Yes, sir. I was born in one of the larger towns near Lincolnton, but I lived there my whole life."

Emily mentally noted that the girl had good manners, and even called Reid "sir", even though he barely looked older than Stella.

"Emily's right," Agent Morgan told me. "You'll like the city. It'll be an adjustment, but you really will like it." He smiled warmly and I knew right away that I'd like him.

In fact, I was almost certain that I'd like the whole FBI team. Agent Hotchner, the team leader, was sort of the strong, silent type. He looked friendly enough, though. Agent Rossi looked kind and Italian. He had patted me on the shoulder gently when we boarded the plane. Agent Jereau looked sweet, but hadn't said much, except for one sentence—"welcome to the family." I wasn't sure what she meant by it, but I assumed I'd be finding out very soon. Agent Morgan was handsome and looked very tough, but I had a feeling that down deep he was very soft. Dr. Reid looked like a kid. That was all there was to say.

When we landed, we had to go back to the BAU office so that Emily could take care of a little paperwork, but she promised to take me back to the apartment very soon. As soon as we entered the office, a slightly overweight young woman came rushing towards us. She was wearing lime green clothing and her blonde hair had green streaks to match.

"You're back!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around Agent Morgan's neck. "I've missed you guys so much!"

"Stella, this is Penelope Garcia, our Technical Analyst," Emily introduced us. "Garcia, this is—"

"Stella Weir," Penelope finished for her, giving me a big hug. "It's so good to meet you! Welcome to the family!"

"Family?" I echoed, a little unsure of what exactly they were all talking about.

"Of course! Now that Emily's adopting you, you're going to be part of her family," the bubbly woman assured me.

I smiled faintly, still not totally comfortable with all of these people.

Two hours later, Emily Prentiss led me into her apartment. It was furnished in a modern style.

"I know it doesn't look like a real home, but I'm not here very much. Honestly, I work a lot, so you'll have a lot of time alone," she told me.

I shrugged my shoulders. "It's okay. I don't mind being alone. Sometimes it's better that way. People can be…annoying."

She laughed pleasantly. "I see you take my view of things. Well, come on. I'll show you your room."

I followed her into what appeared to be a guest bedroom, until now that is. It was decorated in the same style as the rest of the house. I put my back on the end of the bed and then sat down. "The bed is comfortable," I remarked, trying to make conversation.

"We can repaint and redecorate," Emily told me. "Any way you like. And, you'll have your own bathroom, which is good because I take long showers."

I chuckled quietly. "Me too."

"Well, you can put your clothes in the drawers while I find us something to eat for supper. Sound good?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Don't call me ma'am, Stella. I'd like for you to eventually think of me as a big sister. Not a parent."

"I always wanted a sister," I said softly, fingering the trim on the bedspread.

While Emily got dinner ready, I unpacked what few clothes I had and the few photos I'd saved from my old house. I set the picture of me and my parents on the beside table and the others of me as a child on the top of the dresser. They were old and faded, but still very precious to me. I missed my parents more than anything, but they weren't coming back. I had Emily now.

Emily was making spaghetti for supper when her cell phone rang. She rummaged through her purse until she finally found it. It was Hotch calling.

"Yeah, Hotch, what's up?" Emily answered, stirring the pasta in the boiling water.

"I was just wondering if everything was going okay? Stella seem to be doing all right?" he asked.

" I think so," Emily replied, pouring Italian sauce into a pot. "We'll see though. I was wondering, though, if I could take few days off just to maybe help her redecorate her bedroom and go buy her some clothes maybe."

"I'll arrange it with Strauss right away," Hotch assured her. "And Emily, I just want to apologize again. You were right—I wasn't being fair to you. I'm sorry."

Emily smiled. She could hear her Boss desperately trying to make up for hurting her. "Maybe you could come by for coffee later?" she suggested.

"I'd like that, Emily," he told her, smiling on his end of the phone. It was just what he had hoped for. \

_Lemme know what you think. This will be half Hotch/Prentiss and half Stella-centric. sorta anyway. _


	3. Coffee With Hotch

_Thanks for the reviews, y'all! So glad you're enjoying my story so far. Btw, Stella WILL NOT be a rebel child, although she and Emily may have some problems on occasion. _

After a quick dinner of spaghetti, toasted French bread, and a tossed salad, Stella decided to take a shower before bed and Emily decided to clean up the dishes before Hotch came over for coffee.

Emily still wasn't sure why she'd felt compelled to invite him over. He was her boss and he had merely been surprised by her request. Still, he had hurt her feelings and she still couldn't understand why it had gotten off with her so bad. Why did Aaron Hotchner's opinion matter so much to her? Why was it him she always looked to for approval? He was her boss, and no matter what she felt in her heart, she couldn't let that interfere with anything else.

Thirty minutes later, a solid knock sounded on Emily's front door. She went to answer it as Stella came partway down the stairs in gym shorts and a t-shirt, still toweling her hair off.

"Who is it?" the seventeen year old asked, her voice tinged with hysteria. Her foster parents' murder had started like this—a crazy man knocking on their front door.

"It's just Agent Hotchner," Emily assured her. "He's coming over for coffee."

Stella nodded and quietly went back up to her room to finish getting ready for bed.

Emily let Hotch in and was surprised to find that he'd actually changed out of his suit. He was wearing jeans and a navy polo and he looked downright…handsome.

"Thank you for letting me come by," he told her quietly, running his fingers through his hair. "I feel really bad about what I said."

Emily smiled and shrugged. "It's fine, Hotch. You were only voicing legitimate concerns." She headed for the kitchen where a pot of coffee was brewing.

Aaron followed her. "Yes, but you had valid points, too. I've been married and I have a son. J.J. has a baby. Rossi's been married _several _times, and he's probably not the best example." Hotch stopped for a moment to smile and Emily laughed softly.

"Anyway," he continued, "most of us have, or have had, some sort of family. All except you, it seems." Hotch leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen. "You never talk about your personal life, Emily."

The fact that he used her first name not lost on her, Agent Prentiss struggled to find the words to reply with. "Well…I guess…I try not to involve my personal life in work, not even by talking about it." Emily leaned back against the counter. "The truth is, I don't have a personal life and I guess that's why I wanted to adopt a child. I'm lonely."

Hotch nodded in understanding. Ever since his divorce, he'd been alone more than usual and sometimes the silence nearly drove him insane. He left the TV on almost all the time just to have background noise.

"What I said, though—I was wrong. The truth is, Emily, I think you'll make a really great mother," Hotch told her, closing the space between them.

Emily looked up at him. "Thank you, si—Aaron."

When I had dried my hair and cleaned up my things in the bathroom, I walked back down to the main part of the apartment. Emily was sitting on the sofa with Agent Hotchner, who looked very different out of his work clothes. They were drinking coffee and talking about mundane, normal things.

"Hello, Stella," Agent Hotchner greeted me. "Are you feeling better today?"

I nodded. "Yes, sir. My bruises are almost gone." I was referring to the beating I'd been given by the man who abducted me a few days ago.

"That's good." He smiled comfortingly.

"Hotch just dropped by for a cup of coffee," Emily explained. "Would you like some?"

I shook my head. "No, thanks though. I'm tired, so I thought maybe I'd go to sleep, if that's okay."

Emily nodded and smiled. "Sure. Oh, and I've taken some time off from work, so maybe we can go shopping tomorrow."

I smiled a genuine, real smile for the first time in days. "That sounds like fun," I told her. "Goodnight, Emily, Agent Hotchner."

"She looks better," Aaron remarked to Emily when the girl had gone back to her bedroom.

"Yeah, but she's still scared. When you knocked on the door, she was about to call the cops before I could assure her it was you," Emily admitted, running her fingers through her long brown locks.

Hotch swallowed hard. He could smell the fragrance of Emily's shampoo as she shook her long hair. "She's going to need help, that's for sure. But, I think you're the best person for the job."

Emily looked up at him from beneath her long dark lashes and he caught his breath.

The next morning, after a night of little sleep for me, I got up and walked down to the main floor. It was early, not even six yet, but nightmares had plagued me whenever I tried to sleep, so I didn't figure there was any point in trying anymore.

Emily's apartment was nice—nicer than anything I'd lived in since my parent's death. Foster homes weren't the best places. I'd never had any new clothes, or anything other than the bare necessities. The families didn't even act like they'd wanted me. I was just another child going through the system until I was old enough to take care of myself.

I could look out the window at the bottom of the stairs and see all of Washington D.C., just starting to come alive in the early morning. It was breathtaking to see all the cars and buildings. I'd never been to any really big city, especially not the nation's capitol.

"You're up early," a voice behind me said.

I gasped and jumped where I stood. When I whirled around, I realized it was only Emily. She looked alarmed as well.

"I'm so sorry," she hastened to apologize. " I didn't mean to scare you."

I shook my head and gulped back the fears that had risen up in me. "It's fine," I assured her. "I was just lost in the view."

"It is beautiful," Emily admitted. "But sometimes I wish I didn't live in the city. I only chose this place because it's close to where I work."

"Your job—it takes up a lot of time, doesn't it?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. You'll be on your own a good bit, so I hope you're up for some responsibility," Emily told me.

I nodded. "Sure, it's fine. Alone isn't so bad."

"And don't worry; whenever we're gone, Garcia is always at the office and she _loves _company."

I smiled at the memory of the wildly dressed, exotic Penelope, whom I'd met the day before. "Okay. Sounds good."

_Okay, so here's the next chapter. Another one will be up very soon. I'm really lovin' my story, as it's a mix. More characters from the show will be involved very soon, since they're all going to be a huge part of Stella's life from now on._


	4. Shopping and Dinner Plans

After a quick breakfast of cereal and toast, Stella and Emily both got dressed and headed to the mall to do some shopping. Stella was a little surprised that her new guardian was going to let her re-decorate her entire bedroom right away, and buy her some new clothes.

"You're a teenage girl and you have to have the latest in fashion," Emily had insisted. "And besides, that bedroom is stuffy and boring. I never liked it, not since I moved in."

As they drove, I took in the craziness of D.C. life from the passenger seat of Emily's Ford Explorer.

"Is Agent Hotchner your boyfriend?" I asked suddenly, turning towards her.

The question seemed to surprise Emily greatly. "No! Why do you ask?"

I shrugged. "He looks at you like he likes you. Besides, he's kinda handsome. When he's not angry-looking," I added.

"Yes, he is," Emily admitted. "But no, he isn't my boyfriend. He's my boss, and he would never cross that line."

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask her if she would _want _him to cross that line, but I didn't want to seem rude. Besides, it really wasn't any of my business. "What about the rest of your team?" I asked. "What are they like?"

"Hmm…. Well, J.J, the blonde one, has a boyfriend named Will. They have one son, Henry, and he's just adorable! And then there's Derek. You'll like him, 'cause he's a huge flirt, but he can be very serious and he's also very protective of people he cares about. Spencer is nerdy, but he's really a loveable kid. And brilliant."

"What about the other one—Agent Rossi, wasn't it?" I asked. He had been friendly to me in the short time since I'd met him and I'd appreciated it.

"Rossi is a good guy. He doesn't say a whole lot, but when he does, be sure you're listening, cause it's important," Emily told me. "And there's Garcia, who is really sweet and lovable. She'll be your best friend in five minutes, I promise. And Aar—Hotch—is our boss. He was married, but his wife divorced him. They have one son, Jack."

"They all seemed really nice," I commented. "And Agent Morgan is very…suave."

Emily laughed. "You've got that right. He's quite the ladies' man. But, like I said, he's really a great guy. He and I are pretty good friends."

When we got to the mall, Emily and I decided to look for a new bedspread first. Sears was close by and we decided to look in there.

"What color do you like?" she wanted to know as we perused our options.

I shrugged, not wanting to take advantage of her kindness. "Anything's fine with me," I declared.

"C'mon, every girl has a favorite color. I'm a lavender kind of girl myself. Don't be shy!"

"I like green," I admitted finally. "I like this one right here." I showed her a green cover with blue and turquoise geometric shapes all over it.

"I do too," Emily agreed. "Let's get some throw pillows to match it."

After purchasing me the bedspread and several frilly pillows to match it, Emily and I walked on through the store and picked out at least seven new outfits for me. Then, we walked down to Victoria Secret and Emily bought me some new bras and panties, along with a set of new pajamas. A few pairs of shoes from a nearby shoe store completed my wardrobe.

When we got back to Emily's apartment, she heated up some leftovers for lunch while I put my things away. When I came back downstairs, she had our meal all ready.

"I was thinking, I really need to go into the office and take care of some paperwork this afternoon," she told me. "Would you mind coming along?"

I shook my head. "No, Emily. That'd be fine. I'd actually like to thank the rest of the team again. You know, for saving my life."

Emily smiled. "I'm sure they'll be glad to see you again. We don't usually get the chance to see the people we help again."

After we'd eaten, I helped Emily wash up the few dishes and then we drove to Quantico. Emily obtained me a visitor's pass and we rode the elevator up several levels to the BAU office.

I saw several of the agents I recognized, and several I didn't. Agent Morgan and Dr. Reid were at their desks, working on paperwork it appeared. I quickly surmised that all agents had to fill out paperwork after every case, which seemed logical.

"Hey, look who it is!" Agent Morgan exclaimed, looking up from his desk. "What're you guys doing here? Hotch said you were taking some time off to get things settled."

"That doesn't mean that Strauss won't get mad if I don't do my paperwork," Emily pointed. "It shouldn't take me long. I brought Stella with me so she could get to know you guys better."

Agent Morgan stood up and pulled out a chair for me. "Well, here you go, little lady. You sit right here beside me and I'll fill you in on everything about the Behavioral Analysis Unit, sweetheart."

I couldn't help but smile at his names for me. It was easy to like Derek Morgan, especially when he gave you pet names.

After a few minutes of talking to Derek, Agent Rossi came out of his office, which was up a small set of steps.

"Look who's here!" he called to us, coming down to greet us. He smiled at Emily and then shook my hand heartily. "How are you liking the city so far?" he asked.

"It's crazy!" I declared.

"You've got that right. So, Emily, you came in to do your paperwork? We should all grab some dinner tonight. I haven't had a good meal in a while."

"That sounds good to me," Derek said.

"Me, too," Emily agreed. "Reid, what about you?"

"Well, I was thinking about doing some research tonight and listening to a few MIT lectures, but I guess I could come for a little while," the young genius decided.

"I'll talk to Hotch," Agent Rossi told us. "It's a done deal, cause I really need a steak and a beer." He patted me on the shoulder in a very father-like gesture and I smiled up at him. He was easy to like as well.

"Should I ask J.J.?" Reid wanted to know.

"Go ahead," Emily told him. "Steak sounds good to me as well."

_Okay, so I'm glad everyone is enjoying my story. Please keep reviewing! I love to find new reviews waiting in my mailbox! It brightens my day._


	5. Please read note bottom

Hotch and J.J., and Garcia all agreed to go dinner with the rest us, so after Emily finished her paperwork, she and I drove home to shower and change before meeting the team at a local pub for dinner.

After jumping out of the shower, I stood in front of the mirror to put on some makeup. The dark bruises on my arms were starting to turn yellow. It had been five days, after all, since I'd been abducted and beaten. I was starting not to feel quite so sore and stiff, though.

By six-thirty, Emily and I were ready. She looked quite stunning in tight jeans that made her legs look even longer, a blue V-neck sweater, and black high heeled boots. No doubt Agent Hotchner would give her more of the same looks I'd seen last night when they were sitting on the sofa, drinking their coffee.

"You ready?" she asked me, grabbing her keys and bag off the purse.

"Sure. Let's go. I'm hungry."

We drove to a large restaurant in Alexandria. Inside, Rossi and Reid were already waiting a table for us.

"Glad to see you guys got here," Rossi greeted us as Emily sat down beside him. I, on the other hand, took a seat next to Spencer. He seemed a little shy, just like me.

"So, are you disappointed that you decided to miss your MIT lectures?" I asked him, trying to make conversation.

Reid tucked some hair behind his ear. "Actually, I listened to them on my Ipod while I was driving over here. And I'm going to catch up on my research tonight," he told me, very matter-of-factly.

"Are you always this…" I searched for the perfect word.

"Nerdy," Rossi finished for me. "Yeah, he is."

"So, I guess if I need a math tutor, than you're the one I call, huh?" I joked. It was partly true, though. I wasn't very good at math.

"Sure. Call me whenever you need too," Reid told me pleasantly.

"Speaking of that, we need to get you a cell phone tomorrow when we go buy paint," Emily pointed out.

"What are you painting?" Hotch asked, arriving just as Emily spoke.

"Hey!" she greeted him as he sat down at her side. "We're going to paint Stella's room, so it will match the bedspread we bought today."

"So you two did go shopping," Aaron said, looking at the beer menu.

"Very successfully," Emily replied.

Emily noticed that Hotch sat beside her at dinner. Right beside her. He had also changed into jeans and a green Ralph Lauren button-up shirt and looked more handsome than ever. During dinner, he smiled and talked freely with his team. For once, it didn't seem like he was their boss; tonight, he was their friend, having dinner with them.

For the first time in months, I enjoyed spending time with a group of people. Despite the fact that they were all adults, they were all very friendly. I met J.J's boyfriend, Will, whose Cajun accent was fun to listen to. Penelope and Derek were constantly flirting with one another and Spencer spouted off random facts and statistics. We ate great steaks and burgers and had an overall good time. I even found myself laughing with them at times.

I kept a close eye on Agent Hotchner, especially after he sat down next to Emily. I noticed how he glanced over at her slyly when he thought no one was watching and how he made sure she always got what she needed from the waiter right away. Her drink never got completely empty. Not once. Guess chivalry wasn't dead.

That night, the nightmares plagued me again. I awoke in a cold sweat, gasping for air. Groping blindly in the darkness, I reached over and felt for the lamp switch. When I finally found it, light flooded the room and I sat up suddenly, the dream still vivid in my mind.

I threw back the covers and walked to the bathroom to splash some water on my face. Someone knocked on my bedroom door at the same time and I cried out in fear.

"Hey, hey, Stella, it's just Emily!" I heard her say. "Are you okay?"

I let out a deep breath and went to open the door. "It was a nightmare," I admitted, going back into the room and sitting on the end of the bed.

"About when you were kidnapped?" Emily wanted to know, sitting down beside me.

I nodded. "Yeah, that's right."

"You know, I don't have much experience with nightmares, but Reid does. He was kidnapped and tortured a little over a year ago. Maybe you should talk to him." She put her arm around my shoulders and kissed the top of my head, a gesture that reminded me of something my mother used to do.

"I don't know," I mumbled. "I'm not sure if I would feel comfortable talking to him about this."

"Would you rather keep having the nightmares? I'm telling you, Stella, he could help."

I swallowed back the lump in my throat. "I'll talk to him. Soon."

_Okay, I know it's a short chapter, but I'm working up a new idea. Reid's kinda young and I can make Stella turn eighteen really soon. Does that seem like it might be a good relationship, or is the age difference too much? Idk. I really like Reid—he's gotten much cuter and doesn't look nearly so gay this season. I need input. PLEASE let me know what you think about this!!!_


	6. Help with the problem

The next morning, when I got downstairs, there was a note from Emily saying that she had gone for a quick jog and would be back in half an hour. I stood for a minute, looking out at the view again as the sun came up. Life here had just begun, but it seemed like it was going to be good. I'd gained big sisters in Emily, J.J. and Garcia, brothers in Derek and Reid, and uncles in Hotch and Rossi. Somehow, I'd never imagined having one brother who was so suave and handsome and another who was so nerdy and cute.

After a few minutes of pondering more thoughts about getting a new family so suddenly, I decided to fix myself some breakfast. Emily's kitchen supply was limited to non-perishables and very little else. I had learned to cook as a young girl. My mom had taught me because she said every true Southern woman needed to know how to fry her chicken and cook her biscuits.

I poured myself a bowl of cereal and poured some milk into it, contemplating things as I ate. When Emily returned, the noise of the door opening scared me and I jumped again, spilling some milk.

"It's just me!" she called, as if anticipating the fact that any unexpected arrival might scare me.

"I've got to talk to Reid soon," I muttered to myself. Living in constant fear of people coming and going, getting practically no sleep due to terrifying nightmares, and thinking that every man I saw was probably plotting how to kidnap and kill me was unbearable.

"Good morning," I greeted a sweaty Emily. She was reached into the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water.

"Morning. Phew!" She wiped some sweat from her brow. "I pushed myself this morning."

"I didn't know you ran, but I guess the FBI likes their best agents in good physical condition, huh?" I commented, pushing what was left of my breakfast around in the bowl.

"Yes, we have to pass examinations yearly. It's a pain in the ass, in my opinion. Seriously, one look at Morgan and anyone can tell he's obviously in great shape," Emily pointed out, gulping down her water.

"Hey, I was thinking, when we go shopping, think we could get a few groceries? I'm a fair cook, and I'll have to eat while you're gone on cases," I told her.

"Sure. We can get whatever you want." Emily went to the garbage can and threw away her empty bottle. "I just keep things that won't go bad on me while I'm gone. Some of our cases can last for a week at a time."

I nodded understandingly. "My last foster family—they loved packaged meals. I've never seen anyone buy so many Hungry Man dinners at one time. Even when I mentioned to Susan that I knew how to cook, she refused to let me. She said eating that way was easier."

"I have been known to buy a few Lean Cuisines," Emily admitted, getting a bagel out of the cabinet and the cream cheese out of the fridge. "But I'd love it if you used my kitchen. I cooked dinner for J.J. and Garcia one night, but that's about it."

After breakfast and showers, Emily and I once again headed out to do some shopping. We got paint for my bedroom and bathroom, along with plenty of materials at a nearby Home Depot and then stopped at WalMart for groceries.

"When can talk to Reid?" I asked as we walked through the store. "My nightmares are pretty unbearable."

Emily looked at my sympathetically. "Sure. I'll call him as soon as we get home. You two could go out for coffee and talk about it maybe."

I looked up sharply, surprised that Emily would just let me go out with someone I'd just recently met. Then I remembered that she'd been a part of this team for quite a while now; she trusted them all implicitly.

"That'd be nice," I commented. Sure, Reid was a little awkward, but so was I, so why should I be scared to go out with him?

Later that day, Emily gave Reid a call. She knew she could count on the younger FBI agent to help her with Stella's PTSD.

"Yeah, Reid," he answered his cell phone.

"Hey Reid, it's Emily. I have a question."

"Go ahead."

"Stella is having nightmares from her kidnapping and she's really jumpy. I was wondering if you might be willing to take her out for a cup of coffee and talk to her about it, since you went through something similar," Emily requested. Silence filled the phone for several seconds and she knew she was causing Reid to think about something he, no doubt, tried to forget as best as he could.

"I…guess…I could do that. I'm not really sure what to say, though, Reid admitted.

"Just tell her what helped you get through what happened to you." Emily ran her fingers through her hair. "To tell you the truth, I'm really not sure what to do about it. She woke me up last night because she was sobbing so loud during her nightmare."

"Okay. I'll uh…come by around six?" Reid finally said.

" That's fine. I'll let Stella know."

Emily had said that Spencer would be coming by around six, but I still wasn't convinced I wanted to go through with this. How was I supposed to tell someone about exactly what had happened to me? How I had been tied up and gagged for what seemed like years. How I had had to listen as he brutally stabbed my foster parents in their bedroom. How I had fought back during his heavy beating. I didn't want to tell anyone about that; not now, not ever.

Still, Emily had insisted that this would help me. She assured me that talking to Reid would help, since he'd gone through a similar experience. When she'd said it thought, she'd winced visibly. I wanted to know why. I imagined that every member of this team had a history. I faintly wondered what Emily's was.

While I was getting dressed, I looked around at all the nice things Emily had bought for me—clothes, bedspread and throw pillows, toiletries, and paint for the bedroom. Nobody had ever been that generous, at least not since my parents had been alive. It seemed like she was serious about adopting me. At first I'd been a little wary of her ideas. It wasn't everyday that an FBI agent met me, then decided to adopt me twenty-four hours later. I wasn't a stunning seventeen—well, almost eighteen—year old. I had light brown hair that hung down to my shoulders in a generic haircut. My eyes were plain green and my complexion was slightly tanned. I wasn't special looking in any way at all. Why would anyone want to adopt me?

_Okay, so I'm going to get to work on the Stella/Reid relationship ASAP, but I need to put a little filler in there to pass the time and make things flow. I probably won't post very much in the next couple days. My wisdom teeth being cut out kept me close to the laptop, but now I'm better(yay me!) and I'm going to an airshow tomorrow!_


	7. Coffee with Reid and a Crush

Stella's POV

When Reid arrived to pick me up, he looked cuter than I remembered. He was wearing jeans and a navy sweater over a white collared shirt. He looked like a model for Ralph Lauren and sort of stunned me slightly.

"Hello, Stella," he greeted me, coming inside when I opened the door.

I tucked my hands in the back pockets of my jeans as he tucked some hair behind his ear. "Hey, Spencer. Thanks for coming by. Emily'll be down in just a minute."

"She suggested we go get coffee. There's a Starbucks a few blocks away. Does that sound okay to you?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sure. That's fine. I'll get my bag."

Reid stood awkwardly in the kitchen until Emily came in and gave him a quick hug.

"Thank you so much for doing this for me, Reid," she told him. "I know it won't be easy."

"You know, women are twice as likely to suffer from PTSD as women. Only 5% of men exposed to trauma suffer from it, whereas 10% of women are diagnosed with it," Reid rattled off. Statistics made him feel better in any situation, even though Morgan had told him he shouldn't continuously spout them off.

"Yeah, okay," Emily replied, rolling her eyes a little bit.

Stella came back into the room with her purse. "I guess I'm ready if you are," she told Reid.

As they left, Emily slipped a twenty-dollar bill into Stella's hand. "Don't let Reid pay for this," she whispered. "It _was _my suggestion."

Stella's POV

Reid was quiet until we'd driven all the way to Starbucks and purchased our beverages. He did insist on paying for his own, however. When we sat down at a small table in the back, I saw conflict and emotion written on his face.

"We don't have to talk about this," I told him quickly. "Emily said you'd…been through a similar situation."

"It's okay. Facing your fears is better than storing them away until a rainy day," Spencer replied, sipping is coffee slowly.

I waited for a minute, then spoke again. "I'm having nightmares," I explained. "And they aren't just about what happened; They're about what might've happened, especially if you guys hadn't found me in time." Tears came to my eyes and I swallowed hard. "It's terrible."

"He beat you, didn't he?" Reid asked suddenly.

I nodded, swallowing again as the tears threatened to overflow. "Yes. And my hands were tied, so I couldn't fight back."

"I was tortured and drugged. And, because of that, I ended up with an addiction for months," Spencer spoke quietly—almost in a whisper.

My heart went out to this poor young man. He'd had it worse than I had. "I'm sorry," I told him.

"Morgan found out I was having nightmares. He'd dealt with nightmares once, too, so he knew what I was going through."

"What can I do to make them go away?" I asked anxiously. "I'm not sleeping well at all!"

"Actually, there isn't any miracle cure. I also had nightmares a couple of years ago about all the horrific things we see. A good friend of mine told me I had to focus on the good things that we did—the people we saved and the lives we changed."

"So you're saying I should try to not think so much about the bad that happened, but the good that came from it?" I was a little confused as to what method he was suggesting.

"Exactly. I mean, look at it from this point: Sure, you lost your foster parents and got kidnapped, but you met Emily and she decided to adopt you. Because of what happened, you met us." Reid looked up at me and smiled sweetly.

"You're right," I agreed. "I met y'all." I grinned, the tears in my eyes evaporating. "I have to admit; I was intimidated at first, but your whole team seems really…welcoming."

Reid tucked some more hair behind his ear, a cute little habit he seemed to have. "We don't usually get the chance to follow up on people we save. You're a constant reminder to us that we did something right." He looked up at me with his dark, serious eyes and I saw nothing but the deepest sincerity written in them. Suddenly, something clicked inside me; I was attracted to Dr. Spencer Reid.

For the next half hour, we discussed books, movies(especially Star Wars and Star Trek), and dozens of other topics.

"I can't believe you a sci-fi fan, too," Reid commented, driving me back Emily's apartment. "I like Star Trek, but Star Wars is really good too. I have the special edition copies of all the movies."

"So have you been to see the new Star Trek movies yet?" I asked him. "The one that just came out in theaters."

"No. I wanted to go on opening night, but we were working the case, so I had to cancel my plans. If we're still here this weekend, maybe you could go with me," Reid suggested. "Being alone in the dark scares me."

I grinned. "Yeah, if Emily'd let me, I'd like to go."

Reid nodded confidently. "Emily will let you go with me. She trusts me."

Reid parked in front of the apartment complex and walked me upstairs to the door. "I'll talk to Emily about our plans, okay? Don't mention it to her yet," he told me.

I nodded. "Sure. And thanks for talking with me, Spencer. I really appreciate it." With that, I turned and went inside, giving him one last smile as I closed the door behind myself.

As Reid walked away, he smiled and chuckled to himself. "She called me Spencer," he thought to himself. "Hardly anyone calls me by my first name. It sounds good to hear it again."

When I walked into the living room, Emily was hastily hanging up the phone. She looked guilty as sin—like a little child who knew she'd been doing something she shouldn't.

"How was coffee with Reid?" she asked innocently.

"Good," I replied. "He was helpful. Thanks for suggesting that I talk to him."

Emily smiled, looking relieved. "That's good. Oh, I just got off the phone with Hotch and he offered to come over and help us paint tomorrow. He's done it before and I'm a bit of an amateur."

I nodded my agreement to the idea. "Sounds good to me." Checking my watch, I realized that Reid and I had stayed gone for longer than I'd expected. It was almost nine. Had we really talked that long?

" I think I'll go upstairs and get ready for bed," I told her. "But I'll be back in a few minutes to watch TV with you."

"Okay."

I was halfway up the stairs when I thought about a question I'd been meaning to ask Emily. Stopping and turning back towards her, I asked it. "How old is Reid?"

"Twenty…five, I think," she replied. "Why?"

"Oh nothing," I assured her. " He just seems _really _smart for someone so young!"


	8. Imagining blue paint in his hair

Emily's POV

While Stella was out with Reid, Emily sat home alone like she always did when she wasn't working on a case. But this night was somewhat different. This time she was waiting for someone to come home; Stella.

Suddenly, her phone started to vibrate on the kitchen counter, making her jump in surprise. Usually she didn't get many phone calls at night, unless it was a really bad case that J.J. thought they needed to get to work on right away. She prayed that wasn't what it was as she strode across the room and grabbed her phone.

It was Hotch, which surprised Emily too. She seldom got phone calls from him.

"Hello?" she answered it, unsure of why he would be calling her at 8:30PM. "Hey, Emily. How are things with Stella?"

His question was so sudden that Emily was left somewhat speechless. "Um…she's uh…doing fine. We bought paint for her room today and more groceries than I usually buy in a month's time."

Hotch laughed on the other end, surprising Emily yet again. He was never this lighthearted. "You only had non-perishables, I take it. Same as me. I buy half a gallon of milk at a time when we're actually in town and even that doesn't get drunk most times."

"Um…yeah. I know what you mean. Anyway, Stella is out with Reid right now. I wanted him to talk to her and see if he could help her with her nightmares."

"Good idea. He's a good kid and he'll do whatever he can."

Somehow, Emily wasn't sure how, but somehow she ended up talking to Hotch for over an hour. They talked about little things that didn't matter at all. Before she knew it, he was offering to help her paint Stella's bedroom and bathroom the next day, since it was Saturday. She accepted quickly, thinking about how much she'd like to see him in jeans again. Emily pictured him with specks of blue paint in his dark hair and paint on his t-shirt, but then she immediately tried to erase the image from her head. She shouldn't be fantasizing about her Boss.

Stella's POV

The next morning, when I got up, I realized that Emily was in a very happy mood. She was humming _Oh What a Beautiful Morning _as she mixed up pancake batter in the kitchen. In the back of my mind, I remembered the guilty look she'd had on her face when I walked in the door last night and then the nonchalant, casual look she'd tried to assume when she mentioned that Hotch was going to come over and help us paint today.

"Good morning," I greeted her, running my fingers through my long hair.

"Good morning," she replied, turning around with the mixing bowl in her hands. "You're not the only one who can cook and I wanted to prove it," she told me.

I nodded and poured myself a glass of orange juice. "So, what time is Hotch coming over?"

Emily looked up sharply and I was afraid I'd said something wrong. "Is it okay that I call him that?" I wanted to know. "It's hard to say Agent Hotchner or Mr. Hotchner all the time."

She smiled. "No, it's fine. He said he'd be here around ten-thirty."

I sipped my juice slowly, pondering Emily and her boss as a couple. They would be cute together. Silently, I kicked myself. I'd spent an hour the night before thinking about Reid and how cute he was. After our evening at Starbucks, I'd thought about his every move; how he tucked his hair behind his ear frequently and twisted the lid on his coffee cup absently. How he'd walked me to the door and opened the door at Starbucks for me.

"Something wrong?" Emily inquired, pouring small cups of batter onto the griddle. "You look very serious."

I shook my head. "Nah, I was just thinking."

"About?" she pressed.

I blushed and tried to hide it. "About Reid, actually."

Emily set the bowl of batter down and checked the frying bacon. "Oh….so you developed a little crush, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess. More of found myself attracted to him really, rather than just a crush. But it doesn't matter: Spencer's seven years older than me and way to smart to even think someone like me is mature. Besides, he's an FBI agent and I'm a high school student."

"Speaking of schools, I'm going to enroll you first thing Monday morning. I didn't think about doing that this week. And, I need to get you a cell phone so we can stay in touch while I'm gone." Emily easily flipped the pancakes on the griddle and the raw batter sizzled pleasantly.

"Mhm.." I mumbled, not really paying attention to what she was saying.

"You're still thinking about Reid, aren't you?" she asked.

I nodded, blushing again. "Yes, I am."

At ten thirty promptly, the doorbell rang and I answered it. Hotch was standing there, paint brush in hand.

"Hello, Stella," he greeted me. "I'm here to help paint your bedroom and your bathroom."

I opened the door wide and gestured for him to come inside. "Emily's upstairs changing out of her pajamas. We had a big breakfast and it took us a while to clean up from it."

"Emi—Prentiss told me you'd gone shopping. Sounds like you two have been spending some serious girl time together," he remarked. "I think it's good for Emily. It keeps her mind of the horrible work we do."

I nodded. I'd seen and experienced the horror of the people they struggled to take down. "Yeah. But, it's good for me, too. I haven't had much for the past year or so. Foster parents sometimes have lots of different kids and not much money."

Emily came bounding down the stairs quite suddenly and she was dressed very casually in yoga pants and an FBI t-shirt. "Hotch!" she exclaimed. "I didn't realize that you were here already."

"I told you ten-thirty, and the FBI teaches promptness." Hotch scratched his head for lack of anything better to do.

"Well, I guess we should get started," I declared, breaking the silence. It wasn't awkward. Just silent. They were staring—or rather gazing—at one another.

With that, I walked upstairs, hoping they would follow me.


	9. Only Three Weeks Of High School To Go

Stella's POV

On Monday morning, Emily was called in on a case but Garcia called the local school and arranged everything for me to start the next day. Over the weekend, we had painted both my bedroom and my bathroom with Hotch's help. More than once, I had caught he and Emily laughing and joking with one another. For some reason, I felt that this something new between them—something recent.

Emily had left me with enough cash to buy anything I might need while she was gone and I now had the every member of the team's number in my phone, especially Garcia. Emily had assured me that Penelope would always be there when I couldn't get a hold of her.

Later that afternoon, as I walked through Target picking out basic school supplies, my phone rang.

**Caller ID: Spencer Reid**

I gulped excitedly. "Hello?" I answered.

"Stella? Hey, it's Reid. I was going to tell you that I talked to Emily and as soon as we get back from this case, you and I can go see Star Trek together. She said it would be fine," he told me.

I smiled into the phone. "That sounds great, Spencer. I'm looking forward to it."

"Yeah. Yeah, me too," he replied. From the tone of his voice, I was fairly certain he was smiling too.

"Are y'all already there?" I wanted to know. "Emily said that the flight wouldn't take very long."

"Yeah, I'm with Morgan. We're headed to the station right now from the airport," Reid informed me.

"Oh. Well, tell Derek I said hello. You guys be safe, okay?"

"We will. Have fun starting school tomorrow. Call me if you need help with math."

I laughed pleasantly, surprised that Reid had remembered our conversation from earlier in the week when we'd all gone out to dinner. " I will. Bye, Reid."

The next morning, I was up early and at school thirty minutes ahead of time to get my class schedule and find my way to all my classes.

"Good morning," I greeted the woman in the office.

She looked up at me and smiled. "Hello. How can I help you, sweetheart?"

"My name is Stella Weir. My guardian, Emily Prentiss, couldn't come enroll me this morning, but I believe someone in your office spoke to Penelope Garcia, with the FBI."

Realization dawned on the woman's face. "Ahh…yes! I spoke with her yesterday. She was very…bubbly and interesting. Yes, she got everything arranged and mentioned something about Ms. Prentiss going out of town suddenly."

I nodded. "Yes, ma'am. Emily works a busy job. She's gone a lot."

"Well, we're very happy to have you enrolled here, Stella. I got your transcript from your last high school and I think you're going to find that you'll do very well in our school. Now, I saw on your records that at your last school, you had a math tutor. Should I arrange for one here?"

My heart skipped a beat as I thought of Reid's generous offer. "No, ma'am. I have a…good friend who's a genius. He's offered to help me, if I need it."

The kind lady gave me a map of the school and circled all the rooms I needed to go to. I made it to my history class on time and sat in the back, unnoticed by the rest of the class, which was fine with me. I didn't want a big deal made over me just because I was the new girl.

As the day progressed, no one seemed to notice me very much. A few girls smiled and spoke during my social studies class and at lunch, they invited me to eat lunch with them.

"So, Stella, where are you from? one of the girls(her name was Maggie) asked me.

"I'm from a small town in Alabama, called Reagan's Bend, but I was recently adopted by a woman who lives here in D.C."

"Adopted? Oh, that's cool," Maggie remarked, taking a bite of her pizza.

"So, how long have you been…you know, an orphan?" Another girl named Sadie wanted to know.

"Just over a year. Close to eighteen months," I replied quietly. Discussing the tragic death of my beloved parents would never be easy, no matter how much time passed.

"Oh. Wow. I'm sorry," Sadie apologized, looking awkward.

After that, they changed the subject and began talking about the Twilight craze and how cute Robert Pattinson, the actor from the movie, was. My mind wandered as I thought about what kind of case the team was working now.

Was it a rapist, or a murderer? How many people had he killed already? Was it a he or a she? How long would it take them to catch him? Would they get him before he killed someone else? What were the victims' families feeling right now?

It took the loud ringing of the bell to remind me that I had to get back to algebra class. Maggie and Sadie were gathering up trays and backpacks while talking about going to see _Ghosts of Girlfriends Past _that weekend.

"You're welcome to come with us, Stella," they offered kindly.

I smiled. "Thanks for the offer, but I've already got plans actually. A friend of mine is taking me to see _Star Trek_, if he gets home from a trip in time."

"Is he a guy friend?" they asked, bursting into a chorus of giggles. It was at that moment that I realized that I preferred being around mature adults, rather than silly teenage girls.

"Uh…yeah, he is. He's actually one of the FBI agents who saved my life a week ago."

The girls completely missed the 'saved my life' part and pounced on the FBI agent. "So he's an older guy?" they asked. "What does he look like? How old is he? Does he carry a gun?"

"Um..I actually have to get to class right now, but I'll see you guys later," I brushed them off, hurrying from the lunchroom as fast as I could.

That night, I got back to the apartment and did my homework, then cooked myself some supper. It was strange how quickly I got used to having more responsibility and not being treated like I was ten years old. The last few foster families I'd lived with had assumed I was a troubled orphan who couldn't be trusted. That was why, every night for a year straight, I had prayed for God to make time pass faster so that graduation would come sooner. In fact, I only had to spend three weeks at this new school before I graduated, which gave me some comfort. The only difference was that now I didn't long to get away as much. I had a family now. How things changed in such short time. No longer did I ache to get far away from hateful people who didn't love me.

I had love now and I didn't want to leave it ever again.


	10. It Could've Been Me

Stella's POV still…

The team was still gone on Thursday but Garcia called me and told me come to Quantico and we would have Domino's deliver pizza. I couldn't resist; the apartment was getting somewhat lonely, even though Emily called several times a day and Reid called me at least once. I especially enjoyed his calls because he always seemed so down when I answered the phone, but by the time I finished the conversation, he sounded happier. It made me feel good to know that I was boosting his spirits.

Emily had told me that they were working a case in Augusta, Maine, so when I got home from school on Thursday, I hurried through my homework and then got on the computer for a few minutes before heading to the FBI office to hang out with Penelope.

I Googled newspapers in Augusta, Maine and found out that someone was kidnapping stay-at-home moms while they went about their mundane, everyday tasks. Three women had already been discovered in the woods nearby. I swallowed hard and resisted the urge to cry when I saw that one woman was still missing. It made me feel sick to my stomach.

Turning off the laptop quickly, I grabbed my bag, Emily's car keys, and my cell phone, then headed out to Quantico.

Garcia was ecstatic when I arrived. "Thank goodness you are here!" she exclaimed. "The team hasn't needed my genius in several hours and I'm bored to death. Besides, everyone has already gone home here at the office."

I hugged her back, genuinely happy to see her. I _had _been getting lonely at night and I didn't particularly like being home alone. "Well, I'm glad I could help. Pizza sounded too good to pass up _and _I brought some freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies." I held up the Ziploc bag of cookies that I'd baked while doing my homework.

Penelope's eyes lit up. "Yummy! Those are my #2 weakness in life."

"What's the second?" I asked curiously.

"Derek Morgan, of course! Have you ever seen anyone so gorgeous in your life before?"

I followed Garcia to her office. "He is pretty hot, I have to admit. But, Hotch is nice looking and Reid's pretty cute." I blushed when I mentioned Reid, but luckily Garcia didn't notice that.

"Morgan is my ray of sunshine on a stormy day. He has been since I met him. We're always teasing one another and he calls me 'baby girl' all the time. It's _so _sweet and sexy!" Garcia giggled and twirled a feathery pink pen in her fingers.

"So, do you two date?" I wanted to know. Emily hadn't mentioned anything about that, but I didn't know.

"Oh no, sweetheart. Derek loves me and I love him, but we're just like brother and sister. And trust me, I would never date my brother!"

"What about Spencer?" I asked, trying to appear innocent. "Does he have a girlfriend?"

"I'm not entirely certain that our boy genius has ever even been on a date," Penelope declared, kissing a picture she had of her and Reid together. "But he's so sweet and incredibly smart."

I smiled, thinking about what she had just told me. Reid had never really dated. Maybe he didn't like to date. Maybe I was reading too much into the invitation to go see _Star Trek. _

"Okay, so I was thinking we could go ahead and order some pizza. What kind do you like?"

Thirty minutes later, as Penelope and I demolished an entire medium pepperoni pizza and drank Coke from the machines in the break room down the hall, her phone rang.

"Wouldn't you know!" she exclaimed. "I have company and they need me." She hit a button on her headset and answered her phone, sending me into a chorus of giggles.

"You've reached the FBI's office of sheer brilliance. What can I do for you, my beloved Hotch?" she wanted to know.

"Garcia, I need you to check your email," he told her. "I sent you some photos that we just got in."

As I sat finishing my third slice of pizza, Penelope typed something into her computer and before I had a chance to give her some privacy, pictures of a brutally mutilated body appeared on her screen.

I gasped and almost choked on my pizza when I saw them. What stood out the most to me was the face of a woman, her blue eyes wide open, lying in a pool of blood, her body mangled beyond belief. My stomach churned, but I swallowed hard and took a deep breath.

"Oh my God! This is the woman that was missing! You found her." Despair and gloom filled Garcia's voice and I felt myself starting to gasp for air.

I looked at the woman, thinking about how I could have ended up like that—bleeding out and dead. Garcia would have seen pictures of me, just like she was of that woman now.

Without a word, I got up quietly and walked out of the room. In the hallway, I leaned back against the wall and slid down to the floor, burying my face in my hands. I couldn't make myself breathe normally. I was panicking—having an out-of-body experience.

After a few minutes, Penelope came out of her office. "Stella, are you okay?" she asked anxiously. "I didn't mean for you see that. Hotch gave me no warning."

I looked up at her and shook my head. "No, it's okay. I…just…can't…breathe."

"I'm calling Emily," Penelope declared, pulling out her cell phone.

"No!" I exclaimed. "Don't do that. She'll just worry. I'm okay, really." I stood up shakily, leaning against the wall. " I should probably get home, though. It's getting late and I know you have work to do."

Walking almost as if in a daze, I grabbed my bag, keys, and phone and walked out of the office, barely hearing Garcia's goodbyes. I knew she was worried about me, but I couldn't get the images out of my head. They weren't just of that woman though; They were of me just like that—mutilated and disfigured. Lying in the woods, with the team looking at me and sending my photos to Garcia.

I didn't even know when I got in the car, or how long I sat there before my phone rang. I didn't even realize that I was sobbing until I answered it.

"Hello?" My voice was broken and unrecognizable.

"Stella? Is something wrong? Where are you?" Reid asked me.

I sobbed quietly. "I'm in the parking deck at Quantico. I…I didn't trust myself to drive home just yet."

"What's wrong? Garcia said you left in a hurry. She said you saw some photos on her computer." His voice was soft and gentle. He understood what I was feeling.

"I can't stop thinking about how that could've been me in those pictures,

Spencer," I cried. "How you guys could've found me in the woods, bloody and destroyed."

"But we didn't," Reid pointed out very plainly. "You're safe now."

"No, cause there are always other serial killers out there. You're trying to catch one right now. Do I pass them on the street or in the bread aisle?"

Spence was silent for several moments and I knew he was contemplating what to say to me. I hadn't exactly asked easy questions.


	11. More Bonding

….

"You can't live your life in fear, Stella. We're here to protect you. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. I promise," Reid assured me. Sincerity rang in every note of his voice.

"I'm such I wimp," I mumbled. "How am I supposed to be Emily's little sister? How am I supposed to be your friend if I can't even see pictures like that?"

"Just because you're my friend doesn't mean you have to see what I see, Stella. And nobody would blame you for being scared. You went through hell. It isn't an easy thing to recover from."

I glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost 11PM. I'd been sitting in the car for over an hour. "But I _have _to recover from it, Spencer. I am _going _to get through this."

"You know we'll all be here to help you, Stella. _I'll _be here to help you through it."

My heart ached and at the same time my phone beeped. I checked the screen and saw that Emily was calling me. She most likely didn't know that Reid was talking to me nearby.

"I've gotta go, Spence. Emily's calling me. Was there something you needed before I started crying?" I asked, half-laughing and half-sobbing.

"I was going to tell you that we caught the guy. We caught him before he could hurt anyone else."

I leaned my forehead against the steering wheel and let a few more tears stream down my cheeks. "Thank you, Spencer."

"Goodnight, Stella. Call me if you need to."

I hung up from my call with Reid and switched over to Emily's call. "Hey, Emily," I answered it, trying to make my voice sound normal. Reid's news had made the world seem a little better, so it was easier.

"Where are you? Garcia said you guys had pizza and cookies at the office tonight."

"Yeah, we did. It was fun." Trying to avoid answering the 'where are you' part of her questioning, I skipped to the last part. "She's a lot of fun to be around. But, I promise you that I got all my homework done before I left the apartment."

"I trust you to do that. You don't have to tell me. Anyway, I just wanted to call and tell you I'd be home tomorrow morning. I'll have to do some paperwork on this case we worked, but I'll be home in time for supper," Emily told me.

I smiled. "That sounds good. I've been getting a little lonely. It's very quiet around the house."

"Oh, Reid told me that the two of you were going to a movie on Saturday night. You guys still planning that?" she asked.

"Yeah, we are. You didn't tell him that I though he was cute, did you?" There was a tinge of hysteria in my voice. I didn't want Reid to think I was some silly teenager.

"No. That's your little red wagon," she assured me.

I sighed with relief. "Okay. Well, I should get to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."

The next evening, the team was home and they decided to go out to eat again for supper. Emily called and had me meet them at a local bar and grill for dinner. I arrived early and sat at the bar where I ordered a Diet Coke.

"You got here early," a familiar voice behind me commented.

I turned in the bar stool and saw Reid standing behind me, smiling. "Spencer!" I exclaimed happily. "Where is everybody else?"

"They're on their way," he told me. "I left early, hoping you'd be here. I wanted to see how you were doing."

I nodded and smiled. "I'm better. Talking to you helped," I admitted, blushing a little.

Reid sat down in the chair next to me and ordered a glass of water. "I'm glad. Usually I'm not very good at giving pep talks. I'm more of one to offer statistics and percentages."

"Well, you broke your record last night, then." I took a sip of my Diet Coke and then twirled the ice cubes around with the straw. "I really was being a wimp, but I guess things like that will always get to me." I looked up at Reid suddenly. "After everything you've been through, what keeps you from losing it when you work cases that remind you?"

He squeezed some lemon into his glass of water. "Because I know I have to stop whoever is doing it. I can help people like me." He looked directly into my eyes as he spoke and I found myself getting lost in the chocolaty brownness of them.

"First of all, Spencer, I don't think there is _anyone _else like you. And, does that mean I should be a profiler?"

Reid shrugged. "I don't know, Stella. Maybe you should."

I looked past him and saw Derek and Penelope walking in the door, followed by Hotch, Rossi, and Emily. "They're here," I announced.

"I wanted to tell you before they got here; If Emily seems a little distant the next few days, don't blame her. She was the one who took down the unsub this time," Reid told me, his voice low.

"By took him down, you mean…she killed him?" I asked quickly, still stumbling across the words even though I tried not to.

"Yeah," he replied, turning around to greet the rest of the team.

Emily did seem somewhat quiet as we all sat at the bar. Rossi took a seat beside me and I ended up between him and Reid. Derek and Penelope were on the other side of Reid and Emily and Hotch sat down the bar from Rossi. J.J. had decided to go home to her fiancé and son, Henry, whom I had yet to meet.

"How was school this week?" Rossi wanted to know, taking a long swig of his Bud Light.

I scrunched my nose up in disgust. "It was okay, I guess. My teachers are nice, but gosh! Teenage girls are so dramatic!"

Rossi laughed heartily. "Women are dramatic, mia caro. It's a well-known fact of life."

"Don't tell her that, Rossi!" Emily insisted. "Because that isn't true."

"I agree," Derek spoke up from the other end of the bar. "Most of the girls I know are full of drama."

"I hope you're not talking about me," Garcia spoke up, sipping her martini slowly. "Because I assure you, drama isn't something I enjoy."

"Actually," Reid began, "statistics say that…"

The entire team cut him off with a loud groan, not wanting to hear it right now. I turned to Spencer and smiled comfortingly.

"You're welcome to tell me what the percentages are," I offered. "I've never heard them before."


	12. Dinner Plans for Stella and Emily

Emily's POV

It had been a difficult case, and Emily was exhausted when they arrived back in D.C. Rossi had once again suggested that they all go out to eat. She had been on the verge of rain checking when Hotch had put a gentle hand on her arm and asked her to go with them. She couldn't resist when she looked into hazel brown eyes.

She'd seen Stella at the bar with Reid when she walked in. They looked as if they were deep in conversation on some serious conversation, but as soon as they spotted everyone else, both Reid and Stella stopped chatting.

Emily hadn't really had time to consider it, but Stella and Reid _would _make a very cute couple. Stella was mature for her age and Reid, although a genius, was still a young man—only twenty-five. They looked like they were enjoying each other's company as the team dined at the bar on wings and beer. Stella didn't seem to mind Reid's constant spouting of statistics and he seemed to like her quiet smiles and pleasant laugh.

Stella drove home that night. She had started to get used to the crazy traffic of the city, and besides, Emily was tired.

"You haven't said much tonight," Emily pointed out as they drove.

Stella shrugged. "Not much to talk about, I guess."

"School go okay this week? I remember how hard it always was to make new friends," Emily declared.

Stella's POV

I smiled a little to myself. "Yeah, it's okay I guess. There are some girls who have

been pretty friendly, but all they can talk about is lip gloss and going to the mall."

Emily nodded understandingly. "You had to grow up early, I guess. You think about different things than they do."

"That's for sure. Whereas I'm wondering whether or not you guys are catching your serial killer, they're wondering when Brad Pitt is going to make his next movie. Different priorities, I suppose."

After a few more minutes of silence, Stella spoke again. "Reid said he'd pick me up around six tomorrow evening. Is that all right with you?"

Emily grinned, feeling a spark of happiness for the first time in a while. "Yes, that's fine. I want you home by midnight, though."

"I hardly doubt we'll be gone for six hours, Emily!" Stella exclaimed. "Surely Reid won't want to spend that much time with me."

Emily shrugged, imitating Stella's favorite gesture. "You never know."

"What about Hotch? Why don't you call and ask him to come over while I'm gone? I'm sure he'd enjoy some more coffee." I glanced at her from the side, trying to see if I'd gotten any reaction out of the non-emotional Emily.

She was still for a minute and then looked at me seriously. "Am I crazy to fall in love with my boss?"

I was a little taken aback by her direct question. I had suspected it, but I hadn't anticipated the question coming so soon.

"Um…Yeah, a little."

Emily sighed and leaned her head against the cool glass of the window. "I knew it was stupid. I knew I should have transferred out as soon as the feelings started. I knew I should have never asked him over for coffee the other night."

"Maybe you are a little crazy for falling for him," I continued. "But that doesn't mean it's wrong. He's handsome and the two of you look great together. Besides, if he loves you back, what does it matter?" I turned the vehicle into the parking garage of Emily's apartment building and started looking for a parking spot.

"What does it matter? He's my boss, damn it! There are…fraternization rules in the FBI."

"My daddy used to always jokingly say 'rules are made to be broken.' He thought it was okay to have ice cream in bed on occasion, or swim before breakfast. If you and Hotch are in love, then things will work out." I parked the car and shut the engine off.

"Do you really think so?" Emily asked me.

Suddenly, I felt that our roles had been reversed. Emily was the young teenager needing relationship advice and I was the big sister, telling her what she really needed to hear.

"Yes, Emily. I honestly think so."

Emily's POV

Later that night, Emily was sitting in her bed, trying to read a book. It wasn't working. She was too distracted, thinking about what Stella had told her. Could things really work out between her and Aaron? They'd definitely grown closer over the past few months, but on this last case especially. The night she'd shot the unsub, he'd come to her hotel room to check on her. She'd tried to put up a brave front, but for some reason this case had really gotten to her. Maybe it was seeing the women who looked just like her covered in blood, sheets draped over their bodies.

Hotch, a skilled profiler, had seen through her in moments and before she knew it, she was in his arms, sobbing on the shoulder of his French blue shirt. He'd held her for hours and then made sure she had everything she needed before he left for the night. Emily was unsure how to interpret the incident. Did it mean he cared about her as more than just a team member, or was he just being kind when she needed someone?

Maybe Stella was right; Maybe she should call and see if he would come over tomorrow night for dinner. She had recently discovered that cooking for more than one person was much easier.

Moving quietly, she crawled out of bed and tiptoed down the hallway, past Stella's dark bedroom. Still moving stealthily, she crept down the stairs and got her cell phone off the kitchen counter where it was attached to the charger. Even thought it was close to midnight, Emily felt almost certain that Hotch would still be awake. He probably had gone back to the office after dinner. She'd come to work some mornings only to discover he had never left.

She dialed his number hesitantly, not bothering to use speed dial. Dialing the number gave her more time to change her mind, but she didn't. She put the phone up to her ear and let it ring.

"Hello, Emily," he answered the phone.

"I hope I didn't wake up," she said hastily, losing her nerve as soon as she heard his voice.

"Not at all. I was just leaving the office, actually. What's up? Are you all right, Emily?" Concern filled his voice and it was genuine.

"I'm okay. Look…I was wondering…well, Stella's going out with Reid tomorrow and…I…uh…"

"Can I come by around six-thirty?" Hotch spoke so suddenly that Emily almost jumped. Then, a bright smile spread across her face.

"That'd be great. Thanks so much…Aaron." She used his first name for the first time in a really long time. It wasn't lost on him.

_Stay tuned for the next update, which will either come by midnight, or VERY early tomorrow morning. Get ready for Stella and Reid's night at the movies…will be quite a lot of fluff!_


	13. A First Kiss

Stella's POV

Spencer had offered to pick me up at Emily's apartment building at six and I started getting ready at four. After helping Emily clean the apartment all morning, I was sweaty and tired, but a hot shower cured me of both problems. When I got out, I toweled off and then scrubbed some product into my hair to give it more body.

"You getting ready for your date?" Emily asked, sticking her head into my room.

"It's not a date, Emily!" I insisted. "Reid is brilliant. He would never consider this a date. He's just being nice because I new around here and I don't have many friends."

"Okay, fine." She held up her hands in mock surrender. "But you're not the one who talked to him on the flight home yesterday morning."

I looked up sharply. "You talked to him? What did he say?" I whirled around.

Emily just smiled. "You'll find out tonight, I promise. Oh, and just remember, keep it PG. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna shower real quick before it's time for Hotch to come by."

When she left, I found myself getting nervous. More so than before she'd hinted that Spencer might like me more than just a friend. Was it possible that he saw me as more than just a dorky little teenager?

I looked at myself in the mirror and tried to see myself through a genius's eyes. It didn't work. Instead, I decided to finish putting on my makeup since it was already five o'clock. I didn't want to be late for our…date, if that's what it really was.

Reid was prompt, down to the second. I should know because I was sitting on the stairs, watching the seconds tick away on my watch. The moment it hit 6:00PM, someone knocked on the door.

"I'll get it," Emily called from the kitchen, walking towards the door. "Don't appear overeager," she whispered to me.

I nodded eagerly, storing that little piece of information away in my head.

Emily opened the door and found a very nervous looking Reid standing there. He was shifting his weight just as she opened it.

"Hey, Reid. C'mon in. I think Stella's almost ready."

"Thanks, Emily," he squeaked, walking past her into the apartment.

I came walking down the stairs, as if I had just finished getting ready when he knocked on the doorbell. "Hey, Spencer," I greeted him. "You ready to go?"

"Happy Birthday," he told me.

"It's your birthday?" Emily exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me?"

I shrugged again. " I guess it just didn't seem important."

Emily hugged me tightly and I held her close too. "It is important," she insisted. "We'll go do something special tomorrow."

I nodded and then turned to Reid. "Thanks for remembering. You ready to go?"

"Yeah, sure. Um…goodnight, Emily. I won't keep her out too late."

Emily glared at him fiercely. "You better not, otherwise Morgan, Rossi, and Hotch will have something to say about it."

Reid flinched, but I touched his arm gently. "It's okay. I have a midnight curfew. Surely we can make that."

When we got in the car, Reid handed me a wrapped gift. "I got you a little something, for you birthday."

"Aww…Spence, you didn't have to do that. By the way, how did you know that my birthday was today?" I asked curiously as he pulled out into traffic.

"Well, when we went to the foster home you'd been living in, I saw it circled on the calendar by your bed. You had written 'my eighteenth birthday' underneath today's date. I remember everything I read."

My mouth dropped open in utter astonishment. "You honestly remembered that? I'm impressed. And touched." I unwrapped the gift slowly and found a book. On the front cover, I recognized Dave Rossi's name as the author. "Rossi wrote this?"

"Yeah, he's actually published several books. He was in retirement, but he came back to help after Agent Gideon left the BAU."

It was a book about criminal profilers and I knew I'd enjoy reading it. "Thanks, Spencer. This is really nice of you."

"You're welcome," he replied, blushing a little.

When we got to the theater, Spencer bought my ticket for me, which I tried to talk him out of doing. Emily had given me cash just in case Reid didn't' consider this a date.

Once the movie finally started and the lights went down, I suddenly became nervous. There was some sort of strange energy flowing between Spencer and me. I couldn't put my finger on it, or name it, but it was a strange feeling. My heart was racing wildly, like I'd just drunk a liter of Mountain Dew and my hands trembled nervously. My breathing came in a frantic rhythm and I just knew I was going to pass out and make an idiot of myself.

Reid, on the other hand, couldn't seem to get comfortable in his seat. He would prop his chin in his right hand for a few minutes, then switch to the left. Then he'd just put his hands down by his side. Then he'd cross his right leg over his left and then vice versa.

Finally, halfway through the film, something caught my eye. I looked down and saw Reid's hand creeping towards mine. His long, slender fingers brushed up against mine and I shivered uncontrollably. Being somewhat bold, I slipped my hand into his and then he squeezed it tightly. I couldn't help it; I looked over at him and smiled shyly. He did the exact same thing.

When the credits began rolling, I realized that I couldn't remember a thing about the movie I'd just seen. Nothing had stuck with me; my mind had been occupied otherwise. Spencer still held my hand tightly as all the other patrons filed out of the theater, but neither of us made any attempt to move. When they were gone, Reid looked over at me.

"Would you…mind if…I kissed you?" he asked me. "I've always wondered what it was like to kiss someone in the darkness of a movie theater."

"I've always wondered what it's like to kiss someone at all!" I thought to myself as I nodded silently, too nervous to speak.

Slowly, Reid leaned in and so did I, my entire body trembling now, not just my hands. His cool lips landed on mine and I sighed, relaxing immediately. For a brief moment, he kept his mouth against mine, but then he pulled away and my eyelids fluttered open. He looked as surprised as I had by the electric spark I'd felt jolt through my body at his touch.

His brown eyes locked with my green ones for a few seconds. His lips moved as if he was going to speak, but nothing came out. I nodded gently and he instantly crushed his mouth against mine again.

As our mouths moved in perfect synchronization, Spencer brought his hand up to my face and slowly let it slide down my neck, across my shoulder, and then down my arm. I slid my hand up his chest and gripped a handful of his striped button-up shirt, trying to maintain some grasp on the world as I knew it, because right now, it was spinning out of control in the best way ever.

Okay, reviews would be incredible. I loved this chapter in particular, because I vividly remember holding hands in the movie theater as a young teenager. PLEASE, PLEASE review!


	14. A Romantic night for Stella and Emily

Emily's POV

Hotch arrived about twenty minutes after Stella and Reid had left. Emily let him in, trying not to show him how nervous she was. Six months ago, she would never have dreamed of inviting her boss over for dinner like this. Now, she was hoping that he might kiss her before the night was over. She wanted him to hold her in his strong arms again and tell her that everything was going to be okay because, when he did, she found herself believing that it was true.

"Hey," he greeted her quietly, placing a wine bottle in her hand. "I wasn't sure what you were fixing for dinner, but I thought this would go well with anything."

Emily looked up at him from beneath her long, dark lashes. "Thanks. I actually made lasagna, so this will go perfectly."

Hotch sat down on one of the bar stools while Emily poured them both a glass of the red wine.

"Can I help you with anything?" he asked, gingerly taking a sip of the sweet beverage. He was usually a beer kind of guy, but tonight wine had seemed appropriate. Much more appropriate.

Emily shook her head. "I just have to toss the salad and slice the bread. The lasagna will be done in about twenty minutes."

"Has Stella already left on her date with Reid?" Hotch wanted to know, looking around the apartment. Little things gave away the fact that Emily no longer lived alone: The backpack by the desk, the Hollister sweatshirt hanging on the closet door, and the school books neatly stacked at the end of the kitchen counter.

Smiling, Emily nodded. "Yeah, they left around six. Reid was so nervous and so was she."

Hotch took another sip of wine. "Think it'll go anywhere?"

"Oh yeah. Reid was definitely smitten and Stella was just as bad. I'd guess they're probably gonna end up sharing their first kiss before the evening is over." Suddenly, Emily cursed herself. Why was she talking about sharing first kisses? "Way to give a hint, Em! No doubt he knows what you're up too by now!" she thought to herself.

"Do you ever miss being that age?" Aaron spoke thoughtfully as he swirled the wine around in his glass gently.

Emily took a sip of hers and then stared down into the shallow depth of the half-full wine glass. "No, never. I would never wish those days back."

Aaron smiled, trying to lighten the mood. He could tell he'd brought up some sort of sensitive subject and that hadn't been his intention at all. "Me neither. Like Rossi said last night: Teenage girls are too dramatic."

Over dinner, Emily and Aaron swapped stories from their life and found themselves laughing gaily with one another.

"Gosh, I love him!" Emily thought to herself, scraping the remains of her meal into the trashcan as Hotch cleaned the dishes off the table. "Should I kiss him first?"

Aaron Hotchner was kicking himself inwardly. He'd brought the bottle of wine for one reason; He had hoped to get Emily slightly buzzed so he could make some headway with their…relationship. "Just kiss her and see what her reaction is!" he told himself.

Stella's POV

Spencer and I were making out feverishly in the back of the dark theater when the credits ended and the lights came up.

"Excuse me," a voice called. "Could you two get out of here so I can clean the theater? We've got another showing in twenty minutes."

I broke away from Spencer, gasping for oxygen and completely embarrassed that someone had discovered us.

"Um…yeah, sure. We were just about to leave anyway," Reid stammered awkwardly. He stood up, my hand still clasped firmly in his, and led me out of the theater.

I waited until we got to the car to speak. He opened the door for me and then went around to his side to get in the driver's seat.

"Spencer…" I began slowly. "I…uh…wow!"

"I couldn't have picked a better word myself," he admitted, smiling shyly as he reached over to take my hand again.

"But…I mean, surely you don't like me!" I exclaimed, inwardly praying that he really did. "I'm just some dorky eighteen year old."

"You're not dorky," Reid objected. "Besides, according to some very reliable studies, older guys are better for younger girls. And there's only seven years, three months and thirty six days between us."

I laughed a little. "You thought about it too, huh?"

"Only the whole time we were in Maine."

I shook my finger at him playfully. "If you let yourself get so distracted by one girl, you'll end up getting yourself killed," I pointed out.

Spencer blushed again. "Yeah, that's what Morgan said. And J.J. And Hotch. And Rossi," he added.

"So…what now?" I asked quietly, breaking a few minutes long silence.

"Well, I promised you dinner, so what say we go eat somewhere?" Spencer suggested.

"That sounds good to me."

Over dinner, our conversation never lagged. We discussed my childhood, his childhood, working for the BAU, being adopted by Emily Prentiss, and dozens of other topics. The waitress at the restaurant kept smiling at us as we leaned across the table towards one another.

"I just have to say this," she finally spoke up. "You two make such a cute couple." Both of us blushed and smiled, embarrassed.

"Thanks," I told her, scratching my head nervously.

"She's right, you know," Spencer said when she was gone again. "We do make a cute couple."

"So, we are a couple?" I asked, trying to clarify the fact. "Sorry if I'm going about this all wrong. I've never had a boyfriend before."

"Really?" Reid looked genuinely surprised. "But surely, before you moved here…" His voice trailed off as I shook my head adamantly.

"No. My parents used to always say I couldn't date until I was eighteen and even if I had allowed myself to break that rule after they died, nobody ever asked me out." I looked down at my plate. "When you're parentless, you're labeled 'problem child' pretty quickly."

"You're fine just the way you are," Spencer assured me. "Well, what I know about you seems fine. And I'd like to get to know you better."

I smiled, my heart pounding with excitement. "I'd like that, Spencer."

Okay, please review! It'll be at least twenty-four hours before I update next cause I'm gonna leave the laptop for a while.


	15. Caught!

Stella's POV

At 11PM, Reid pulled into Emily's parking garage. "I guess we're back early, huh?"

"Mhm…" I replied demurely. "Thanks again for the movie. And dinner."

Spencer parked his car next to the elevator and turned the engine off. "So, I'll walk you upstairs."

"You don't have to do that," I assured him. "I know the way."

Reid shrugged. "Yeah, but I'd hate for Emily to think I wasn't doing things right. Tradition has the guy walking the girl to the door at then end of the date."

I smiled; A guy who was attempting to be traditional. It was refreshing. "Okay. In that case, I'd love for you to walk me upstairs."

In the elevator, I was surprised when Reid put a hand on the wall on either side of me and leaned in close to kiss me again. Our lips met again and I immediately looped my arms around his neck as he wrapped his arms around me tightly. I moaned quietly against him as brand-new sensations flooded through my body. Sensations I'd never really felt before.

Getting a little braver, Reid ran the tip of his tongue across my bottom lip. I shivered and pulled back suddenly.

"Wait just a minute!" I gasped. "I'm a traditional girl, so let's take this a little slower, okay?"

Reid blushed again. "Sorry if I rushed things. It's the hormones, I guess."

I nodded in understanding, then cupped his cheek in my hand. "Soon, you can kiss me like that but…right now, I'd just rather take things a little more slowly."

He leaned in shyly and kissed my forehead. "Whatever you say…baby."

I grinned and snuggled up against his chest until the elevator reached the correct floor.

When I unlocked the door and walked inside, Reid's hand still firmly clasped in mine, I looked around for Emily and Hotch, but didn't see them at first.

"Oops…" Reid's voice trailed off and I followed his slender finger to where he was pointing.

Emily and Hotch were on the couch, making out even more feverishly than we had been in the movies. My mouth dropped open and I pulled Reid back towards the door. "Shh…"I whispered to him. "Come on." Apparently, our entrance hadn't disturbed them, but I wasn't going to interrupt now, not when Emily was finally getting somewhere with Aaron.

Outside, Spencer and I sat down in the hallway. He seemed to be speechless from what he'd just seen. I was just happy for Emily, because I'd seen it in her eyes that this was what she wanted.

"Promise you won't tell the rest of the team," I begged him. "I don't want them to get into trouble and we did kinda barge in. Emily said I didn't have to be home until midnight."

Spencer looked at me strangely. "I wasn't going to tell anyone. They're grown-ups. It's their business."

I hugged him tightly. "You're great! Thank you so much! If you'd been Dave or Morgan, you'd probably have preached to them."  
"Well, statistically, 53 percent of intimate office relationships end within the first year," Reid rattled off. "But I'll try to forget to tell them that."

Emily's POV

Emily had been at the sink, washing dishes, when Hotch came over to dry for her. She'd looked up at him to say thanks, but the words just wouldn't come. Maybe it was the wine, but she was almost totally convinced that his mere presence intoxicated her. Not to mention the fact that tonight, he was once again wearing those jeans that fit him perfectly in all the right places and an olive green polo. He looked so incredibly sexy to her, especially with those traces of blue paint still in his hair.

He'd gazed down at her, then ever so slowly, leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. Emily's hands had gone limp in the dishwater for a minute until she realized she had better take this opportunity and make this kiss the best it could be.

Somehow, they'd ended up backing across the room and tumbling onto the sofa. She didn't know how, but his shirt had come off and his hands were just beginning to sneak underneath her shirt when a noise startled them both.

"What was that?" Hotch asked, not letting her out of his arms.

"It sounded like the door shutting," Emily mumbled confusedly. "You don't think…"

"I'd say Reid and Stella came in and left again just as quickly," he told her, smiling down into her chocolate brown eyes, leaving her breathless again. It wasn't often that Aaron Hotchner smiled and yet, here he was, smiling at her.

"I guess we better let them in," Emily declared, trying to get up.

"We will…in about thirty seconds," Hotch assured her, leaning in one more time to claim her lips with his own.

Emily couldn't help it. She molded her body against his again and slid her hands up his muscular chest. No one would ever think it to look at him, but Aaron Hotchner was incredibly well-built and toned. Oh, this was bliss!

Stella's POV

We were still sitting in the hallway, giving them some time to 'finish.' I had insisted that Reid could go ahead and leave, but he wouldn't budge from my side until he was sure I was safely inside.

"Do you know what kind of freaks are out there?" he asked me, looking at me in amazement at what I'd just suggested.

"I know you do, so I'll let you stay with me. I'm going to be a very selfish girl, Spence; I want you right here with me as much as possible." I leaned my head against his shoulder and slipped my arm through his.

He smiled down at me. "I don't think I'll mind that at all."

The apartment door opened and Hotch's head popped out. He caught sight of us in the hallway, sitting very close on the carpeted floor, and it was his turn to let his mouth drop open.

"Reid? Stella?" he exclaimed.

"Guess this is a good evening to start relationships," I told him, shrugging my shoulders as a huge smile spread across my face. "You and Emily, and me and Spencer." As I spoke, Reid hugged me close and stared up at Hotch almost defiantly.

"Guess I can get a girlfriend, huh Hotch?"

Okay, I know you guys love my frequent posting, but my mom says I'm glued to the laptop, so they'll become daily or maybe one ever two days! Keep reading though, because I've got a ton more story planned for these guys! Reviews are the equivalent of love!


	16. A Day Spent Together

I WANT TO DEDICATE THIS CHAPTER TO SHAWN JOHNSON AND MARK BALLAS, DANCING WITH THE STARS" SEASON 8 CHAMPIONS. YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME AND YOU TOTALLY DESERVED THIS!

Stella's POV

The next day was Sunday and Emily decided to go out to lunch with Hotch while I hung out with Reid. He arrived around ten in the morning to pick me up.

"There is a park near here and I like to go there while I'm home," he told me, as we walked downstairs. "We can just walk, since it's only three blocks from here."

As we strolled through the park, I slipped my arm through Spencer's and leaned my head against his shoulder.

"It's beautiful," I told him. "Do you come here to think?"

He nodded. "Sometimes I need to sort out what's happened out on the case, so I come here and talk it through in my head."

As we walked, Reid told me about his mother who was in a mental faculty in Las Vegas and how he wrote to her every day.

"She likes to know every detail of my life," he explained.

"Only a very dedicated son would write his mother every day," I pointed out. "You must love her very much."

"I used to write her just to avoid going to see her," he admitted. "But now I go to see her every few months, whenever I get the chance."

We strolled on for a few more minutes in silence before Spencer spoke again.

"What about your parents? Did you love them?"

I nodded silently, unable to speak for a minute. "Yes, Spence. I loved them very much. We were a very happy family, until they were killed."

"How did it happen, if you don't mind me asking?" Reid pressed.

I sat down on a nearby bench and he sat beside me. Slipping my hand into his, I swallowed back my sobs. "They had gone on a date night and were killed by a drunk driver. It got late and they hadn't gotten home. I was just about to call someone when a friend of my dad's—a cop—came to pick me up. He said my parents had been in a really bad wreck and that I needed to get to the hospital."

I paused to wipe away the tears that were sliding down my cheeks. "By the time I got there, Daddy had already died and Mama was headed into surgery. I begged the nurses to let me speak to her first, but they wouldn't. Twenty minutes into the surgery, she died and they couldn't revive her."

Spencer put his arm around my shoulders and held me close. "I'm so sorry, Stella. You don't have to say anymore. I understand."

I tucked my head underneath his chin and rested my cheek against his sweater. "It's okay. I want to finish my story," I told him. "Anyway, I stayed with my dad's friend for a few days, but then Social Services got involved right after the funeral, I was placed in a foster home. I guess nobody really liked a depressed, anxious sixteen year old, so I was moved around a lot." I looked up at Reid. "I know it sounds bad, but if all that had not've happened, I wouldn't have ever been adopted by Emily. I would never have met you."

"I thought about that," Spencer admitted softly.

We went back to the apartment so that I could cook lunch. Emily called to say that she and Hotch were going to mess around for a couple of hours, so she wouldn't be home until later in the afternoon, which was fine with me. I wanted to be alone with Spencer.

In no time at all, I'd fixed us grilled chicken Cesar salads for lunch and we sat at the table to eat.

"You're a good cook," Reid complimented me, swallowing a bite of his salad.

"Thanks. Emily's very generous with the kitchen. I get the impression you profilers stay on the road a lot. I'd never seen an emptier kitchen in my life!" I laughed, sipping my ice water.

"Yeah. I keep lots of coffee in mine. Coffee and Frosted Flakes."

"Ahh…so that's why you smell like you walked out of Starbucks! Coffee beans smell incredible."

"Do I really smell like coffee all the time?" Spencer asked anxiously, looking down at his sweater.

"It's fine, Spence. You smell good," I hastened to assure him. Then, ducking my head, I spoke even lower. "You taste like coffee, too."

He blushed, but took my hand in his anyway and squeezed it gently. "You know, usually I'm very nervous around girls. But not you…It's strange. You relax me somehow."

A smile spread across my face. "I'm glad. It's nice to know."

After lunch, Spencer sat down on the couch and I sat right next to him with the book he'd given me for my birthday.

"You look tired," I told him. "You can take a nap, you know."

He shook his head. "I'd miss spending time with you," he objected. "I'll be gone enough as it is."

"Spence, it's not like you're leaving. You can just take a short nap while I sit right here," I insisted.

He stared at me for a minute. "I'll only take one if you take one with me," he replied evenly, an impish twinkle in his dark eyes.

I put my book on the coffee table. "Fine. You have a deal." I kicked off my flip-flops, then stretched out beside him on the sofa, my cheek pressed against his sweater again and his arms around me.

"If Emily catches us like this, we're dead. You know that, right?" I mumbled, already drowsy. Spencer was so warm as he held me close against him. I inhaled the scent of freshly ground Columbian coffee beans and sighed deeply.

When I woke up, Reid's eyes were already open and he was gazing down at me. "Hey," I whispered, stretching my legs.

"Hey," he whispered back. "Did you know we slept for two hours?"

I shook my head gently. "Really? Guess we were tired. I didn't sleep very well last night. I was kinda…wired."

"Me too," Spencer replied. "I was wondering about something you said."

"Yeah? What?"

A smile twitched at the corners of his mouth. "Do I really taste like coffee?" he asked.

I slid my hand into his and intertwined our fingers. "Yes, you really taste like coffee, Spencer."

"I'm gonna kiss you again," he told me softly, moving in closer.

As his cool lips met mine, my eyelids fluttered shut and I found myself holding my breath. My other hand slid up his chest as he knotted his free hand in my long hair, pressing me closer to him.


	17. Living with Fear

The next morning, Reid was sitting at his desk thinking about the afternoon he'd spent with Stella. They'd watched a movie later that night with Emily and Hotch before he'd gone home for the night. Even then, he'd texted her until close to midnight when Stella had reluctantly told him that she needed to go to bed so she could be alert for three more weeks of class before graduation.

"What're you thinking about so deeply, kid?" Morgan wanted to know, coming into the office a few minutes late. "Physics? Serial killers? Any chance it might ever be a girl you're thinking about?"

Reid looked up at him suddenly. "Actually, I am thinking about a girl."

Morgan nearly dropped his go-bag, which he'd taken home so he could put fresh clothes in it over the weekend. "You're kidding, right?"

Spencer shook his head. "I actually have a girlfriend now," he informed Derek.

"Who the hell is it?" Morgan wanted to know, his dark eyes still wide with disbelief.

"It's Stella," Emily announced, coming into the bullpen. "The girl I adopted less than two weeks ago."

"She's seventeen," Derek reminded them sharply.

"Eighteen as of yesterday," J.J. spoke up, coming in with a stack full of case files.

"How'd you know about this, J.J.?" Morgan asked. There was no hiding the obvious amazement in his voice. Reid just watched happily. It amused him to see Derek Morgan disconcerted so much.

"Emily called me yesterday afternoon to tell me," J.J. informed him. "News travel fast around here. I'm surprised that Garcia didn't tell you. But we need to discuss this later. I've got a bad one for us, I'm afraid."

Half an hour later, the team was heading out to the airport to board their jet. Another destination. Another case. Another psychopath on the rampage. Emily called Stella's cell, knowing that she wouldn't answer.

"Hey, it's Emily. We're headed to Colorado Springs. Call me when you get out of school. I left some cash in the desk for whatever you need. Talk to you soon. Bye," she said, leaving a voicemail.

Spencer was doing the same thing. "Hey, baby, it's me. I told you we'd get a case and we did. I'll call you the first chance I get. I promise. See you when we get home."

"Doesn't this whole thing seem kinda weird to you guys?" Derek asked Rossi and Hotch as they all settled into the leather seats of the plane. "I mean, c'mon, she's just a kid."

"She's been through a lot more than most people her age have," Hotch pointed out, moving Derek's bag to make room for Emily to sit next to him. They were keeping their relationship a secret, but surely she could sit next to him on the flight.

"I agree. She's had to mature very fast. I've never met an eighteen year old who could carry on such an intelligent conversation with me before in my life."

" I dunno." Derek shrugged. "I guess I just didn't figure the kid had it in him."

SIX DAYS LATER

When Emily came in on Saturday evening, she looked ten years older. Something told me that this had been a particularly stressful case. I hugged her for the first time.

"I'm glad you're back," I told her honestly. "It's too quiet around here."

She nodded silently, then went into the kitchen and got a beer out of the fridge without a word.

I sat down at the bar and watched closely as she scanned absently through the messages I'd taken down while she'd been gone.

"Is Aaron coming over tonight?" I asked quietly, unsure of how carefully I needed to tip-toe around her right now.

"Yeah. He'll be here in about an hour," she replied, taking a swig of the beer.

"Emily, are you…okay?" I asked.

She nodded, closing her eyes wearily. "I'll be okay, Stella. Just give me a little time."

"Sure!" I wasn't about to push her too far. This case must have really gotten to her.

A few minutes later, Emily went upstairs to take a shower and my phone rang. I went to answer it and saw that it was Spence calling.

"Hey," I answered.

"Stella…d—do you think may—maybe you could go for a walk with me in the park? And then we can grab something to eat." His voice sounded sad and distant. The case must have gotten to them all.

"Yeah, sure. I'll check with Em, but Hotch is coming over tonight, so they'd probably like the privacy anyway. I'll call you back in just a minute, okay?"

"Okay."

Emily agreed easily and I met Reid downstairs twenty minutes later. As soon as I saw him walking towards me, my heart almost broke into two pieces. He looked as if someone had stolen the very life out of his body.

Without one word, I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him close to me. "I'm glad you're home," I whispered into his ear, clinging to him like he'd been gone for years.

"Me too," he told me. "I missed you."

My throat ached and my eyes threatened to well up as I heard a quiet desperation spelled out clearly as he spoke. Something in this last case had really gotten to them. Spencer held me close for several minutes, burying his face on my shoulder while I placed one hand on the back of his head, keeping him close to me.

After a short walk, we got to the park. Spencer seemed exhausted, so we sat down in a grove of trees, his back against a tree trunk and my back against his chest as I sat between his legs. His arms were around my waist tightly and I crossed mine across my body and held both of his hands in mine.

Twilight fell and still we sat in silence. Somehow I could feel that Spencer wanted to tell me something, but he wasn't quite sure how.

"Spence," I began quietly. "Are you…all right? You and Emily are scaring me."

"It's just that…it was a really, really difficult case to work. We…we lost so many before we caught him. Those images…they're just ingrained in my mind."

"Spence, remember when you said that we couldn't live our lives in fear? I was thinking the other night that maybe fear is something we always deal with—something hidden in the back of our minds every day. What you guys do is…the bravest thing I can imagine. You know what these monsters do and you continue to battle them, even thought they leave scars on you. Maybe not physical scars, but emotional scars."

Reid kissed my forehead softly and held me a little tighter. "You're right—they do leave scars, but knowing what kind of people are out there makes it impossible for me to quit."

"I know. I'm glad you haven't, otherwise me and so many other people would be dead."

"Fear is only as deep as the mind allows." –Japanese Proverb


	18. Where do you want it to go?

Okay, I'm gonna do this little excerpt from Emily and Hotch's evening, but after that we will get back to mostly Stella and Reid for awhile. By the way, I will soon have some conflicts and drama, but right now I need to build the baseline for my story. Thanks for bearing with me, and your reviews are so inspiring!

**Emily's POV**

Not long after Stella left to meet Reid, Hotch arrived. Emily had just emerged from the shower and her long brown hair was still wet.

"C'mon in," she told him, opening the door wide.

Aaron, also worn down from the horror they'd seen on their most recent case, was wearing jeans and an FBI t-shirt. He kissed her cheek as he came inside, bringing a case of Michelob Ultra with him. They were going to need it, most definitely.

"Where is Stella? With Reid?" Hotch wanted to know.

"Yeah," Emily replied, toweling her hair off. "He was pretty torn up over the whole thing, so she went out with him. She's good for him."

Aaron opened a beer for each of them and handed Emily hers. "He has certainly changed in the past couple of weeks, and for the better. He's more confident and self-assured."

For a few minutes, both of them were silent until Emily looked up at Hotch from underneath her long dark lashes. Without a word, he put his beer down on the counter, closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around her waist tightly, his lips landing on hers. Emily sighed and let the towel fall from her hand as she reached up and looped it around his neck. Aaron took her beer and put it on the bar next to hers, then lifted her up. She wrapped her arms around his waist as he carried her across the room to the sofa.

Their mouths moved in perfect synchronization and Emily ran her fingers through his dark brown hair as he tugged at the hem of her shirt. Suddenly, she pulled back and pushed his hands away.

"Not tonight, Aaron. Not…like this. We both want this for the wrong reasons tonight," she insisted.

He nodded, understanding her meaning right away. "You're right. I apologize for being to quick."

Emily traced his features with her fingertips and smiled faintly when he kissed the tip of her finger.

"Aaron," she whispered. "Where exactly is this going? Us, I mean."

Hotch studied Emily's face carefully. "Where do you want it to go?"

Stella's POV

The next morning, when I woke up, Emily was already awake and eating a bowl of cereal in the kitchen.

"Morning," I greeted her. "How're you feeling today?"

She smiled pleasantly. "Much better. Aaron was a big help last night."

I finished fixing myself a bowl of cereal before Emily spoke again.

"I was talking to J.J. and Garcia yesterday and we thought that, since it was your birthday last weekend and none of us have the observation and memory skills of Reid, that we should take you to get your nails done today. You know, some real girl time," Emily suggested.

"Really?" My face lit up like a roman candle. "I'd love to do that. Do you think they'll be able to go today?"

Emily nodded, smiling as if she knew something I didn't. "Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure they will."

As it turned out, Emily was right. Both women happily agreed to go and we decided to meet at the mall around four in the afternoon, which gave Emily some time to wash her dirty clothes. While she did that, I spent several hours studying for final exams at school, since graduation was only two weeks away. I knew I wouldn't have much trouble passing the exams. After all, Reid had offered to help me study as much as I wanted and the night I'd had pizza with Penelope, she'd offered to hack into the school's main system and get all the answers for me.

Once Emily had some clean clothes to wear, we drove to the mall and met J.J. and Penelope in the food court. J.J. looked tired too, but she seemed to wear her fatigue more gracefully than the others. Penelope, on the other hand, stood out among all the people in the mall. She was wearing a bright purple dress and all her accessories, including the streaks in her blonde hair, matched her outfit.

"Happy late birthday!" she greeted me, smiling brightly and giving me a big hug.

"Thanks, Penelope," I replied, smiling back. It was so easy to love some people!

J.J. grinned. "She's felt so guilty about not knowing it was your birthday last week," she told me.

"It's fine," I assured them all, including Emily. "I'm new to the BAU family and I didn't want anyone to make a big deal out of it. Besides, it's just a birthday."

"Yes, honey, but it's your eighteenth birthday," Penelope declared. "That's an especially important one."

"She's right," Emily agreed. "Turning eighteen is an important thing. It's an important age."

"What she means is, Morgan and Rossi wouldn't be letting Reid date you if you weren't eighteen," J.J. informed me as we all walked towards the nail salon.

"Really?" I was surprised that anyone would be that concerned about me, especially since I'd only known them for a few short weeks.

"Really, sweetie," Penelope said. "They'd be very careful about letting you two go to the movies alone."

I blushed at the memory of what had happened in the movie theater and none of them missed it.

"What did happen in the movie theater, exactly?" Emily wanted to know, smiling playfully. She seemed much happier today.

Ducking my head, I blushed an even deeper shade of red. But, down deep, I'd missed this kind of friendship. My mother would have been exactly like this, had she not been killed in the car wreck.

"Stella, if you don't tell us, I will get my adorable Derek to get it out of Reid. And trust me, Derek's interrogation skills leave little to be desired." Penelope spoke seriously, but I knew she was just teasing me.

"Okay. But promise me you won't go back to work and tease Spencer about it," I begged them. "He'd be so embarrassed if he knew."

The three of them promised not to speak a word of what I was about to reveal to them.

"And, Emily, if I tell you this, you can't forbid me to go to the movies anymore with Spencer," I told my adoptive guardian.

She held up her hands and shook her head, her long ponytail swinging crazily. "Hey, I'm just your big sister here. I'm not running home to tell anyone what you've been up to…unless you did something I wouldn't approve of."

It was the first time Emily had ever used the term 'big sister' since she'd adopted me and it actually sounded really good. I liked the idea that she was someone I could confide in and tell my secrets too. From now on, I'd be able to tell her about the time I spent with Spencer and she wouldn't scold me, unless we did something that she didn't think was right.

So, I was finally starting to get used to the idea of Emily as a big sister when it suddenly occurred to me that she wasn't the only family member I'd gained. I'd gotten two more sisters in J.J. and Penelope, a protective brother in Derek, loving uncles in Hotch and Rossi, and the sweetest boyfriend possible in Spencer Reid.


	19. Surprise!

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.  
-- Jane Howard

Stella's POV

After we had all gotten French manicures and pedicures, we walked around for a little while. I wasn't sure why we were walking circles around the mall, but I didn't mind. After all, I was with family.

"Hey, why don't we go to that nice little bistro over on 6th Avenue?" Penelope suggested suddenly. "It's time for supper and this girl never misses a meal!"

"Sounds good to me," Emily agreed easily.

"Will won't mind me being gone for another hour or so. He likes spending some male bonding time with Henry," J.J. laughed.

"Does that sound good to you, Stella?" Emily wanted to know.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Sure. Why not? If it's a bistro, I'll like it."

We drove a few miles into the classier section of town and parked in front of a quaint Italian bistro.

"Emily, this place looks really nice," I commented as we were getting out of her car. "You just paid for our nails. We could just eat at home."

"No, it's fine," she insisted. "I don't make much, but it's enough to cover me for a meal like this on occasion."

When we got inside, Penelope smiled at the hostess. "We need a table in the back," she told the younger woman.

"I'm sorry, the back is full this evening," the hostess replied.

"Are you sure?" Penelope pressed. "We're friends of David Rossi."

It was like a light-bulb went off inside of hostess's head. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "I'm so sorry. Right this way," she told us.

"Does Rossi know the people who own this place?" I asked, following the three members of the BAU into the back room.

"SURPRISE!" A loud, unanimous cry made me jump when we entered the room. Spencer, Hotch, and Rossi were all waiting for us in the room. A dozen beautiful red and pink roses were in the center of the table, along with several gifts and cards.

"We wanted to make up for missing your birthday," Emily explained, seeing my look of confusion.

Touched by their kindness, tears rushed to my eyes. "Thank you guys," I told them, smiling happily. "This is so sweet of y'all."

Spencer walked over to me and I caught him by the collar of his button-up. "You put them up to this, didn't you?" I laughed, pulling him close.

He kissed me softly. "No, I didn't. I promise."

Derek, standing beside Penelope, shook his head. "Look at the kid," he said, talking about Reid. "I never thought I'd see the day when he actually had a girlfriend and now look at him. He can barely keep his hands off of her."

Garcia elbowed the handsome FBI agent in the ribcage. "Hey, he's got to make up for lost time, Morgan. And besides, do you blame the kid? Stella is beautiful."

As it turned out, the team had planned this on their flight home. According to J.J. , it had taken their mind off the horror of what they'd just been through. We all ate delicious Italian food, then everyone sang Happy Birthday to me. Derek had picked up a large birthday cake from Publix that had "Happy Birthday, Stella!" written on it in cursive letters.

When I opened my gifts, I was surprised at all the nice things I'd received from my friends…my family. J.J. and Will gave me a beautiful sterling silver necklace. From Derek, I received a pair of running shorts and a sweatshirt, both with the FBI logo printed on them in bright yellow letters. Hotch gave me a gift card to Target, something that would definitely come in handy when I just wanted to buy something for the heck of it. Penelope gave me a set of feathery, brightly-colored pens like the ones she used in her office and Emily had bought me a new pair of pajamas from Victoria Secret's PINK line. Rossi's gift, however, was by far the most amazing.

I opened the Hallmark card he'd gotten for me and read what was written inside, then looked up at him in disbelief. "Are you serious?" I gasped.

"Whatever school you want, you've got the means to go," he assured me.

I jumped up and hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much, Dave! This is…incredible!"

"I'll want to see all of your grades, of course, to make sure you aren't wasting my money." He leaned closer and whispered in my ear softly. "But you can still have a good time while you're there!"

I thanked him again and hugged him again. Nobody had ever given me such a large gift, except for Emily when she had adopted me.

After putting all the gifts, flowers, and leftover cake in the car, everyone began to disperse for the evening, although it was still relatively early. I saw Hotch raise his eyebrows at Emily and she nodded to him once, so I invited Reid to come over for a little while, which he readily agreed to.

When we got back to the apartment, still happy and gay from my surprise birthday party, Emily and I carried all the stuff upstairs.

As I put the flowers on the coffee table in the living room, I turned to Emily. "Emily, I've been thinking about something and I wanted to talk to you about it. Don't worry, though. It won't take long."

Emily sat down on one of the bar stools. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Listen, when you first adopted me, I wasn't sure how it was all gonna work. I didn't know if you'd want me to call you 'mom' or not. Today, I actually started feeling like you really were my big sister and that was a really good feeling."

Smiling, Emily nodded. "I knew it would take some time," she admitted. "This was a big change for both of us."

"Anyway, what I was going to say was that, I'm sorry if I'm not a very…affectionate person sometimes. I got used to bottling up my emotions—keeping them hidden from everyone. It's different with Reid, cause he's my boyfriend. But, towards family, I mean. I am going to try harder, though," I told her.

Without another word, Emily walked over and gave me a warm, loving hug. "You and I are more alike than we give each other credit for, Stella. And I understand if it's taking you a little while to get used to me. I'll admit, on my first case, I almost forgot that there was somebody waiting for me at home."

I laughed, not at all hurt by her confession. After living by herself for so long, I knew that having me around must be a big adjustment. "I'm glad you adopted me, Emily," I said honestly, speaking from my heart. "I like having you for a big sister."


	20. Talking with Reid and the Flu strikes

"Love is bestowed as a gift—freely, willingly, and without expectation…We don't love to be loved. We love to love." --Leo Buscaglia

Stella's POV

Spencer arrived at almost the exact same time Emily left to go over to Hotch's place. It was only 9PM and as long as I was in bed by 11PM, she was fine with him being over. We had a full two hours to spend together, considering I'd washed my face and changed into my new pajamas just before he arrived.

I met him at the door and closed it behind him before turning and wrapping my arms around his neck. "Are you sure you didn't put them up to having that party?" I demanded to know, pretending to be stern.

"I promise, Stella. I'm telling you the truth. It was all Emily's idea. Honest."

I stood up on the tips of my toes and pressed a long, sweet kiss against his lips. He responded without hesitation and I sighed against him, loving how he pressed my body against his tightly. I loved how natural it seemed for him to slip his hand underneath my tank top and rub slow, sensuous circles on the bare skin of my back.

"How is it…" Spencer spoke between kisses, "…that we…always seem…to end…up doing…this?"

"Cause you're…so…good…at it," I replied faintly, aching to get his shirt off again.

Spencer pulled back suddenly. "You really think I'm a good kisser?" he asked, blushing a deep shade of crimson. "Honestly?"

I nodded. "I'm not much of an expert in the field, but you make me very, very happy." Reaching up, I pushed some hair away from his face. "You're the sweetest guy I know and the fact that you respect my old-fashioned rules."

Spencer looked down at me in surprise. "Why wouldn't I respect your rules, Stella? I want you to be happy and I'm not going to push you into anything you don't want to do."

I kissed him softly. "You're the best, Spence," I whispered.

A short time later, Spencer and I were curled up on the sofa together. I was on his lap with my arms around his neck, my head on his shoulder and my legs stretched out along the couch. His lips were against my forehead because he was taller than I was.

"Tonight was really fun," I commented, relaxing as I breathed in time with him.

"Yeah, it was," Reid replied, rubbing my arm with his hand gently. "I like it when the whole team does something together. It's nice, since we're not working on a case."

"Can you believe that Rossi's going to pay for me to go to college anywhere I want? That's incredible." My eyes got wide again, as I was still in shock over his generous gift.

"You won't go too far away, will you?" Spencer asked anxiously. "I know I'm not here that much, but surely you wouldn't go to some college all the way across the U.S."

I leaned back and gazed up into his mournful puppy-dog eyes. "Of course I'm not going to go somewhere very far away!" I declared without any hesitation. "Assuming I can get into a good school around here.

"One word from me and I'll get you into any Ivy League school around here," Reid assured me, holding me tighter against him.

Derek's POV

On Monday morning, Derek woke up feeling bad. His body ached all over and he felt cold, despite the warm May climate. Ignoring it, he downed a couple of Advil and headed into work. No doubt it was just a touch of something that would pass quickly.

Tuesday morning, he awoke feeling ten times worse. His head was pounding horribly and he couldn't get warm, no matter how many blankets he pulled over himself.

Cursing under his breath that he was going to have to call in sick for the first time in years, he dialed Hotch's number and waited while the phone rang.

"Yeah, Morgan, what is it?" Hotch answered, obviously seeing who it was on his caller ID.

"Look, man, I've got the flu or something. I don't think I'm gonna make it to work today," Derek told him weakly.

"That's fine. We'll miss you, but I understand. I think the flu's been going around lately. Take it easy and drink plenty of fluids," Hotch replied kindly. He always took care of his team, even on a personal level.

"Yeah, man. You guys be safe."

Stella's POV

When Spencer called to tell me that the team was headed to Florida on a case, I wasn't surprised. I was between classes, so I was able to take his call in the bathroom.

"I'll miss you," I told him honestly. "Be careful."

"I will," Spencer promised. "Oh, we were wondering if you'd go by Derek's apartment after school and check on him. He's got the flu and couldn't come with us today."

Immediately, my sympathy went out to Derek. The flu could make even the strongest people as weak as newborn kittens. I knew because I'd had it a year ago. "Yeah, my classes are over just after noon today, so I'll run over to his place and check on it. Can you give me the address?"

Reid gave me the address and I wrote it down on a piece of paper. "Thanks, baby. You guys work hard and put another one away."

"We will. Oh and Stella, Derek keeps a spare key underneath the fire extinguisher on his hallway," Spencer informed me.

"I'll take care of him, Spence. Don't worry."

As soon as school was over, I drove to the nearby WalMart and purchased Gatorade, chicken noodle soup, saltine crackers, and a few other things that were always good to eat when you were sick. Derek might be the toughest, strongest BAU agent, but the flu made men into babies again.


	21. Florence Nightingale

A younger sister is someone to use as a guinea-pig in trying sledges and experimental go-carts. Someone to send on messages to Mum. But someone who needs you - who comes to you with bumped heads, grazed knees, tales of persecution. Someone who trusts you to defend her. Someone who thinks you know the answers to almost everything.  
-- Pam Brown

Stella's POV

Before I headed to Derek's place, I stopped by Emily's place and picked up a few extra clothes for myself, just in case he needed more help than I thought. Then, I drove across town to his apartment.

Spence was right about where the key would be stashed. I easily let myself into Derek's place.

"Derek?" I called, setting my bags down beside the door. "It's Stella. I came by to check on you."

Nobody answered, so I looked around for him. He wasn't on the sofa, so I went to check the bedroom where I found him. He was lying in bed, the covers thrown off of him and his shirt pulled off. He was sweating profusely in his sleep.

"Derek!" I exclaimed, rushing to his side and putting my hand on his forehead. He was burning up with fever.

He opened his eyes drowsily. "Stella?" he mumbled. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to take care of you," I told him. "Just lie here. I'm gonna try to get your fever to come down."

Working quickly, I got some meds from the purchases I'd made, a bottle of water, a washcloth from the bathroom, and a bowl of cold water. Sitting back down beside him on the bed, I handed him the meds.

"You need to take these," I spoke quietly, holding the bottle of water to his lips. Derek weakly put them in his mouth and swallowed them, then immediately closed his eyes again.

"Thanks, baby girl," he managed to say.

I soaked the washcloth in cold water, squeezed it out as best as I could, and then placed on his forehead, wiping away the perspiration. He sighed, letting me know that it felt good.

For an hour, I stayed by his side, cooling him down. He seemed to drift in and out of sleep for a while, but then the meds kicked in and he seemed to be sleeping fairly well.

I went to get some fresh water, but stopped in the doorway of the bedroom and looked back at him. Derek Morgan, muscular and in the best shape of his life, had been felled by the flu.

At about five o'clock, Derek finally woke up. I was still sponging him off, despite the fact that the fever seemed to have gone down. He opened his dark eyes and looked up at me, confused for a moment.

"How did you get in here?" he asked me weakly.

I smiled down at him. "Spencer told me where you kept the key, so I just let myself in. He was the one who let me know that you stayed home sick."

"I feel terrible," Morgan admitted, trying to sit up a little. "So weak and achy."

I nodded in understanding. "I'd say you have a classic case of the flu, Derek. But, don't worry, I'll be here as long as you need me too."

He smiled back at me a little. "Guess I know now why Reid likes you so much, Stella. You're so genuinely sweet."

I grinned back. "Yeah, but he'll be mighty jealous when he finds out that I'm in your bedroom and you're shirtless."

Morgan was too exhausted to make a joke, so I just squeezed his hand gently and told him I'd get him something to drink.

Derek was still feeling bad later that night and I didn't want to leave him alone when he was so sick.

I called Spencer and waited for him to pick up.

"Hey!" he greeted me cheerfully. "How's Derek?"

I relaxed back on the sofa and thought about how much I missed him being right next to me, his arms around me tightly. "He's a pretty sick profiler. I was calling because I was wondering…is it okay with you if I stay over at his place tonight? You know, to make sure somebody's here if he needs me."

There was a long silence. "Why wouldn't it be okay with me?" Reid finally asked.

"Well…because I'm your girlfriend and it's kinda weird for me to be spending the night over at some other guy's house," I pointed out, blushing to the roots of my hair. "Morgan's a good guy despite all the charm and sexiness. He would never make you feel uncomfortable."

I breathed a sigh of relief. " I knew you would understand, but it makes me feel better to have your permission."

"Well, listen, we have a lot of work to do, so I'll talk to you tomorrow," Reid declared. I could hear the reluctance to get off the phone in his voice and I felt exactly the same way. He was like my own personal drug; I needed to have him close by at every moment. I needed my "Spencer Reid" fix and I wasn't going to get it until he came home.

"Okay. Well, good luck catching your unsub," I told him seriously. "I miss you, baby."

"I miss you, too. Goodnight, Stella."

As I closed my phone, it occurred to me that what I really wanted to say to Spencer was 'I love you.' Somehow, from out of nowhere, I'd fallen in love with this nerdy, geeky, brilliant FBI agent in the course of about three weeks. But I didn't want to be the one to say it first. Girls weren't supposed to do that and besides, what if he didn't feel the same way towards me. I groaned and pressed a pillow against my face. How did a girl fall in love so quickly? Was it even possible that it was true love? I couldn't think about this; I had to study for finals.

The next morning, Derek was feeling well enough for me to leave him alone. But, just in case, I left the Tylenol, a bottle of Gatorade, some ice water, and a plate of saltine crackers by his bed.

"I'll be fine, Florence," he assured me, nicknaming me after Florence Nightingale.

"I know you will, but if you're going to get better, you have to get rest and that won't be done if you're jumping up constantly to get things you need," I insisted, sitting down on the side of the bed for a minute.

Derek took my hand in his. "You're a really special girl, you know? I don't think I've ever met anyone like you."

I blushed deeply. "Thanks, Morgan. And now, I have to get to school because if I don't, Rossi's generous gift will go to waste because I'll miss my math final."

He leaned forward and kissed me on the forehead lightly. "No wonder Reid loves you."

I looked up sharply, my smile disappearing. "Do you really think he loves me, Derek?"

"I know he does. Now, go ace your tests."

I made it to the door before he called my name.

"Yeah?" I replied, turning around to see what he needed.

"Why exactly did you choose to expose yourself to the flu just to nurse me?" he wanted to know.

I smiled at him. "Because that's what sisters do."

There can be no situation in life in which the conversation of my dear sister will not administer some comfort to me. ~Mary Montagu

**BE AWARE: Something serious will be unfolding during the next few chapters, so stay tuned to find out what's next in my story of Stella and Spencer and their journey to love. **


	22. Tragedy Strikes the Happy Couple

"And we know it's never simple, never easy. Never a clean break, no one here to save me, oh.  
I can't breathe without you, but I have to…Breathe…Without you, but I have to…" –Taylor Swift's "Breathe"

Stella's POV

Over the next few days, I finished my last finals as Derek recovered at home. On Friday, he was feeling so much better that he promised to take me out that night for dinner. I had been staying with him to nurse him and now I needed to go back home to get some clean clothes and a few things I needed. Emily and Spencer had both agreed that, since Derek was at home, they preferred I stay with him.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours," I told him, grabbing my purse from the kitchen counter. "Can I get you anything while I'm out?"

He glanced up from where he was watching "I Am Legend" and shook his head. "Nah, I'm good. You covered everything this week—groceries, movie rentals, and toilet paper. I'm set for a while now."

I grinned, loving Derek more than ever. No wonder Emily had said he was very close to his sisters; He was such a sweet guy underneath the cockiness.

"Bye, Morgan!" I called, heading out the door.

Morgan's POV

Stella had been gone for over an hour when Derek's phone rang. He reached down and picked up off the coffee table to see that it was Emily calling him.

"Hey, Emily. What's up?"

"Derek!" she gasped, her voice filled with a strange hysteria. "Is Stella there?"

Without even realizing it, Morgan sat up on the edge of his couch. "No, she went to your place for some clean clothes so we could go out tonight, Emily, what's wrong?" He asked urgently. Just from hearing that tone in her voice, he could tell that something bad was wrong.

"Oh, God! Derek, Reid's been shot!"

Stella's POV

I was singing to a new Taylor Swift CD that Penelope had burned for me while I flipped through one of Emily's running magazines, waiting for my load of laundry to dry, when the doorbell rang.

"Who is that?" I wondered aloud, tossing the magazine aside and getting up slowly.

When I answered the door, Derek was standing there, his Go-Bag in hand. "Stella," he said quietly. "We need to talk. Now."

My heart suddenly felt as if it was no longer beating. In fact, I was fairly certain that it stopped for a few seconds as I let Morgan into the apartment. "What is it?" I wanted to know, gasping for air.

He ran his hand over his smooth-shaved head. "It's…it's Reid."

In horror, I clamped my hand over my mouth, stifling the scream that threatened to emerge.

"Now, wait. Before you panic, just know that he is still alive, but he's in critical condition and we need to leave within thirty minutes to get to our flight on time," Morgan told me, putting his hands on my arms to steady me.

I nodded blindly, unsure of exactly what was going on around me anymore. The world seemed to become a blur as I thought of Spencer, my boyfriend and the man I loved, lying in a hospital bed. Dying maybe. "I have to get some stuff together," I managed to say.

Derek put his arm around me. "I'll help. Come on."

In my bedroom, I pulled out my suitcase and began throwing thing in it; Jeans, shorts, random tops, panties, bras, socks—whatever I could find.

"What can I do?" Derek wanted to know, looking around helplessly.

"It's okay," I assured him. "Just keep talking to me while I get the things that I need so I don't think about what happened."

"Okay, you need to get your toothbrush and some makeup," Morgan instructed me wisely. "And shoes. You'll definitely need some shoes. And maybe shampoo."

As helpful as Derek was, I found myself panicking. My heart was racing and my breathing was irregular. On my way out of the bathroom with my toiletry bag, I leaned against the doorframe and closed my eyes.

Derek was by my side in a moment. "Are you okay?" he wanted to know, putting his arms around me for support.

I broke down, sobbing pitifully. "Oh, Derek! I didn't even get to tell him 'I love you.' I was too scared and wanted him to say it first! How could I have been so selfish?!"

He held me close and I clung to him desperately. I wished Spencer could be here, holding me like this. But he wasn't. He was in a hospital. Possibly dying as I spoke.

"Reid's gonna be fine, Stella. He's a strong kid. Trust me. Now listen, you need to finish getting your stuff together. I've arranged for someone to take us to the airport, but we need to hurry. The flight leaves in two hours."

I nodded, drying my tears and kissing his cheek. "Thanks, Derek. I'm glad you're here with me." I shook my head. "I don't think I could do this alone."

He kissed my forehead in return. "Big brothers are there for their little sisters, no matter what."

Garcia had booked us two First Class seats on the first available flight to Miami and we arrived at the airport just in the nick of time to check our bags, get our passes, rush through security, and get to our gate before they stopped boarding.

While waiting for the plane to take off, I called Emily. She sounded worried, but assured me that Spencer was still hanging on.

"He's fighting, Stella. That's why I want you here; If he hears your voice, he'll remember that he needs to live for you."

My chin quivered and I was quiet for a moment, choked by emotion. "Well, you guys keep talking to him until I get there, cause he cares about y'all, too," I insisted.

"We will. Have a safe flight and Rossi promises to pick you up at the airport," she informed me. "And Stella,…I love you."

"I love you too, Emily. I'll see you soon." I hung up the phone, turned it off, and then threw it in my purse as the plane began backing away from the terminal.

"Derek," I began softly, even though the seats around us were empty, "do you really think that Spencer loved me?"

He pulled me close and I shed a few tears on his shirt. "Trust me, baby girl. He told me that he had fallen for you. Said he loved you from the moment you smiled at him."

One more, I broke down, unable to contain my emotions any longer. Spencer couldn't die. I had to be able to tell him how much I was in love with him. I needed to see the look on his face when I told him.

**Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death."**


	23. Praying with Morgan and at the hospital

**To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure, but risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.****"—Unknown.**

Stella's POV

As the plane soared through the air, I kept trying to breathe normally, but it was terribly difficult. Derek kept his strong arm around me protectively and I felt guilty for wishing it was Spencer's arm instead.

All I could think about was how I'd never gotten the chance to say goodbye to my parents and how that still haunted me to this very moment. If Reid was certainly going to die, I at least wanted a moment to tell him how much I loved him. I only needed a few seconds and that would be enough. But, I prayed that God would give us a lifetime to tell each other that.

"Derek?" I whispered, looking up into his dark, sad eyes. "Would you pray with me? Pray that Spence'll be okay?"

He nodded. "Sure thing, baby girl."

We both bowed our heads and closed our eyes. Then, Morgan prayed. "Lord, I know sometimes we take people for granted. I know I take the kid—Reid—for granted, but, God, we all love him. He's like the little brother I never had and to Stella, he's the perfect man. He's meant for her. Lord, please just watch over him and keep him safe. Amen."

Mid-flight, I suddenly wondered why Penelope wasn't coming. "Why didn't Garcia come with us?" I asked Derek.

"Hotch is sending the jet for her. She'll be there a few hours after us since she had some work to finish before she could leave."

Even in my time of sorrow, I could feel bad for Pen too. No doubt she was slaving away, working as hard as she could so that she could come be with her boy as well.

Finally, the flight landed and Rossi met us at the gate. He had gotten special clearance from airport security, but they wouldn't let him have his weapon inside at the gate. He had to pick it up on his way out. Derek had had to show the woman at Check-In his federal clearance slip to take a weapon in his luggage, but since he'd shown her his FBI badge with it and flashed a charming smile, he hadn't had a problem.

"Is he still alive?" I demanded to know, walking right into Dave's open arms for a warm, Italian hug.

"He's still in critical condition, but the next twenty-four hours are crucial," he told me, stroking my hair tenderly.

"Let's go then," Derek encouraged, throwing his backpack over his shoulder. "We need to get to the hospital as soon as possible."

While we hurried through the airport, Rossi kept one hand on the small of my back, guiding me gently. I pulled out my phone and called Emily to let her know that as soon as we picked up our bags, we'd be on our way to the hospital.

"How are you holding up?" she asked me quietly.

"I've had worse days," I tried to joke. "But only one that immediately comes to mind."

"Just get here as soon as you can," she told me.

"We will."

It seemed like forever before our bags made it onto the luggage carousel, but we finally got them and headed out to the vehicle that Rossi had parked out front. Traffic was unbearably heavy since it was right at rush-hour in downtown Miami. I tapped my foot quietly in the back seat, anxious to get to the hospital.

"What the hell happened, Rossi?" Derek demanded to know fiercely. "How did Reid get shot?" He glanced back at me as he spoke, almost as if making sure his words didn't cause me to break down.

"We went to apprehend the unsub and he was waiting for us. He wanted to go out in the blazes of glory, so he was lying in waiting with a gun. He shot Reid twice, then turned the gun on himself," Rossi explained.

I caught my breath sharply. That son of a bitch deserved to die, but not by his own choice. He should have been tried in court, then sentenced to death. It wasn't right.

"What about his vest? Didn't it stop the bullets?" I asked. Spencer had told me that the team wore Kevlar vests when they went out to check on a lead that might be dangerous. He said they were all about taking precautions.

"He had armor-piercing rounds," Rossi announced. "The vest didn't do any good against them."

Derek cursed under his breath and several tears slid down my cheeks. My throat ached and I wanted to cry so badly, but just not in front of the guys. I knew Derek wouldn't mind, but I mostly didn't want Rossi to see me so weak. Instead, I leaned forward and rested my forehead on the back of Morgan's shoulder without a word. He turned and kissed my forehead softly.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. Reid's gonna be fine. I promise," he assured me.

I didn't miss the sharp glance that Rossi cast towards Derek when he made his promise to me.

The minute we got to he hospital, Rossi dropped me and Morgan off at the front with directions on how to get to ICU.

"Be sure and mention you're with the FBI," he reminded us as we got out of the still-rolling SUV. "They're particular about who they let in up there."

We made it to ICU and Derek flashed his badge to the nurses at the desk, then guided me back towards Reid's room. Emily met me outside and gave me a tight hug.  
"You made it!" she breathed, the relief obvious in her voice.

"I need to see him, Em. Now!" I insisted, my voice shaking with emotion.

Derek followed us into the room. Hotch and J.J. were standing in the corner, talking quietly. Spencer was in the bed, surrounded by monitors. His skin was white and pasty and his eyes were closed. He was on life-support, but Emily was quick to let me know that that was only precautionary. Reid could breathe on his own, but the doctor's wanted to take some stress off his body so it could heal.

I sat down beside the bed, being careful of the IV tubes and blood transfusion that was running. "Hey, baby," I whispered. "I made it." Then, I pressed his hand to my lips and burst into tears. "I love you so much, Spencer. You have to stay here with us!"

"**True love doesn't have a happy ending, because true love never ends. Letting go is one way of saying I love you." –Unknown. **


	24. Early Morning Moment with Hotch

"**Love means to commit oneself without guarantee, to give oneself completely in the hope that our love will produce love in the loved person. Love is an act of faith, and whoever is of little faith is also of little love.****"**

Stella's POV

Everyone seemed to hover around the room as I sat beside Spencer's bed, holding his hand tightly in mine. I heard them talking quietly with the ICU nurses and to each other, but I paid no attention to what they were saying. I kept my eyes on Spencer's and continued to pray that God would spare his life.

"Stella, do you need anything?" Emily asked, kneeling beside me and putting her hand on my arm.

I shook my head. "No," I whispered. "Thanks, though."

She smiled sadly at me and pushed some hair out of my face. "Don't lose hope. Reid will get better, Stella."

"I haven't lost hope, Emily. Hope is what's keeping me going right now."

Around ten o'clock, Rossi went to pick up Garcia from the airport and J.J. went out and bought us all some food. I left mine untouched, however. Swallowing was difficult, but I did drink the bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper that J.J. gave to me. The caffeine gave me a fresh burst of energy that I desperately needed.

A nurse came in to change the IV and disconnect the blood transfusion and I took the opportunity to ask how he was doing.

"Is he any better?" I wanted to know. "Please tell me."

"Are you his sister?" she asked me.

I shook my head adamantly. "I'm Spencer's girlfriend."

She looked me up and down, as if thinking that I was way too young for an FBI agent. "Well, his heart rate is steady and I don't see anything alarming on the monitors. We'll probably take him off the ventilator tomorrow and see how he reacts to that."

I nodded silently. "Thank you."

As the night wore on, most of the team headed to the hotel across the street but Emily and Hotch both stayed with me. Well, Emily refused to leave my side and I don't think hurricane-force winds could have forced Aaron to abandon her side. Surely the team had to be catching on to their secret relationship by now. Or were they too blinded by mine and Spencer's?

By one in the morning, Emily was sleeping soundly in Hotch's arms on the small loveseat in the room and he was dozing restlessly. I, on the other hand, had screwed my eyelids open and they weren't closing until my love awakened or death called me away. They grew heavier as the night went on, but I managed to say awake until three when Hotch woke up and offered to go get us both a cup of coffee.

"You look like you could use it," he pointed out, very matter-of-factly.

"I could," I admitted ruefully, wiping away the tears that I'd been crying all night long.

"Are you okay?" Hotch asked, kneeling by my side and putting his arm around my shoulders.

I glanced over at Spencer, lying helpless in the bed with the tube sticking out of his mouth. I ached for him to wake up and spout off some random statistics about how many people died from gunshot wounds delivered from bullet-piercing rounds.

"I'm so scared, Hotch," I whispered. "I can't lose somebody else. It would kill me."

He pulled my head against his chest. "He's going to be okay, Stella. Reid is strong. Anyone who can survive being infected with an extremely lethal strain of anthrax can survive being shot."

I nodded, still shedding a few silent tears on his French blue button-up shirt. "Emily's lucky to have you, Hotch," I told him softly. "You should tell her how much she means to you, if you haven't already. It means a lot to know how important you are to someone."

"He loves you, Stella. He just wasn't sure how to tell you," Aaron assured me, stroking my hair tenderly.

"How can you be so sure?" I sobbed.

"We talked about it on the flight out here. He was insecure about telling you in so many words."

My throat ached as I stifled the rest of my sobs. "Thank you for telling me, Hotch. I appreciate it."

He went to get us some coffee and I dried my eyes up while he was gone, but I realized that whatever eye makeup I'd been wearing had smeared onto my hand, so I went into the small bathroom and washed my face off quickly. When I got out, Hotch had returned with a cup of black, steaming-hot coffee.

"The nurse just made this fresh," he informed me.

"Thanks, Hotch," I replied.

"You know, you can call me Aaron. You don't work for me."

"Yet."

Aaron gave me the strangest look. "Yet," he agreed.

The next morning, I felt half sick and began to worry that I was getting the flu that Derek had had. I called him and asked him to bring me a case of Diet Dr. Peppers to the hospital and he arrived with two cases and some Sour Patch Kids, which the entire team had discovered that I was addicted too.

I guzzled a drink quickly and the caffeine kicked in almost immediately, waking me up.

"How's he doing this morning?" Derek asked me, Garcia close by his side. She was wearing her trademark bright colors and that made me feel somewhat better.

"I don't know," I admitted. "He just lies there and doesn't move, but the nurse said he's on morphine. It's practically got him in a coma."

"Then of course he can't wake up, sweetheart. He's drugged," Penelope told me in a soothing tone, giving me a warm hug. "Don't worry. He'll be fine."

I nodded wearily. "I keep praying that he will be, but nobody can prove it. I'll just have to wait and see."

Emily came into the room. She and Aaron were getting ready to go and grab some breakfast, then they were going to the hotel to sleep.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" she asked me, putting her hand on my arm.

I shook my head. "I can't leave him, Em," I insisted.

She nodded. "I understand, Stella. Just call me if anything changes and you know that the rest of the team will be here for you."

I smiled faintly. "Yeah, I know."

**To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there.  
-- Barbara Bush**


	25. Reid wakes up!

"Men talk of killing time, while time quietly kills them." –Dion Boucicault

_Stella's POV_

Two long days passed and Spencer gradually got better. He was still in a drug-induced coma, but he was breathing on his own without any aid from the ventilator. I stayed by his side at every moment, only leaving to use the bathroom for a few minutes. The team brought me three meals a day, but they barely got touched. The only thing that I consumed on a regular basis was caffeine, the only thing that kept awake. Every now and then, I'd drift off to sleep for about ten or fifteen minutes, but I'd quickly rouse myself and drink some more coffee or another soft drink.

On the fourth day, I decided to walk down the hall a little ways to clear my head. To get out of that room. I kept waiting for Reid to wake up, but the doctor's kept him heavily sedated so that his body had time to heal.

Derek met me on my way back. "Good news, Stella!" he exclaimed, hugging me close. "They're not giving Reid anymore drugs. He'll be awake soon!"

Relief spread over my body in a wave. I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath. "That's great, Derek," I breathed. "That's wonderful." I stood on tip-toe and kissed him on the cheek, then walked past him.

Suddenly, the exhaustion caught up with me. I felt dizzy and weak as my vision began to blur. I began to sway from side to side, and then I just collapsed, my head striking something hard.

_Morgan's POV_

Morgan turned around just in time to see Stella crumple to the floor in an undignified heap, striking her head on the nurse's desk. "Stella!" he exclaimed anxiously, rushing to her side and scooping her limp body up into this strong arms. "I need help! Somebody help us!" he shouted loudly, looking around for a nurse anxiously.

Rossi, Hotch, and Emily came rushing out of Reid's hospital room to see Derek holding a pale, unmoving Stella against his chest.

"What happened?" Emily demanded to know, rushing towards him as a couple of nurses knelt beside him.

"I told her that Reid was gonna wake up and she just collapsed," he explained, reluctant to let the nurses take Stella away from him.

"She's exhausted," Rossi remarked, standing out of the way wisely.

Emily knelt beside Derek and the nurses and Hotch was right behind her, his hand on the small of her back comfortingly.

"It's okay, Emily," he told her quietly. "Let them take care of her."

"Sir, we need to take her to get checked out," one of the nurses told Derek, trying to pry his hands away from Stella.

"Morgan, let them do their job," Hotch gently ordered him.

Reluctantly, the handsome FBI agent let Stella go and the nurses eased her up onto a stretcher and wheeled her away.

"I'm going with her," Emily insisted, following them. Hotch was right behind her, his arm still around her waist. Derek and Rossi just watched them.

"Have we missed something major between those two?" J.J. asked from the doorway of Reid's room.

"I'd say so," Morgan replied, still standing in awe of his superior with his arm around Emily Prentiss. It was more than he could handle in one day and he actually had to sit down.

_Stella's POV_

When I awoke, my head was pounding and I found myself lying in a hospital bed, an IV hooked to my arm.

"Emily?" I mumbled weakly, trying to sit up.

She was by my side in an instant. "Take it easy, Stella. You'll pass out again," she informed me.

I leaned back and put my hand to my head, feeling a neat row of stitches just above my eyebrow. "What happened?" I wanted to know.

"You fainted in the hallway and hit your head on the nurses' desk," she told me, sitting down on the side of the bed. "They had to give you several stitches and decided to get some fluids inside you with an IV, since you were dehydrated."

"What about Spence? Is he awake yet?" I asked anxiously. Surely I hadn't struggled this long only to miss it when he first woke up.

Emily smiled. "He should be waking up soon. I'll go get a nurse to take the IV out of your arm so that you can go see him."

In no time at all, I was free from the restraining tubes and Derek walked me to Spencer's hospital room, keeping an arm around me for support since I was still somewhat lightheaded.

"Oooo!!" Garcia exclaimed, herding us into the room. "Hurry, Stella. He's waking up!"

I managed to sit down right beside him on the bed when his eyes fluttered open. It was the first time I'd seen those chocolate brown eyes in two weeks, considering that the team had been away on the case for so long and then I'd come to the hospital for four days when Spencer had been shot.

"Hey, Spence," I whispered, pushing some hair out his eyes tenderly.

"Stella?" he said hoarsely. " I thought I heard your voice while I was asleep. How did you get to Florida?"

"Morgan and I flew down as soon as we got the news," I explained to him, pressing his hand against my lips. "So did Garcia."

_Reid's POV_

Reid glanced around the room at all the people who were standing there. Hotch, Emily, Morgan, J.J., Rossi, and Garcia. Hotch had his arm around Emily's shoulders, which didn't surprise Spencer. He knew that they were a couple, but he did wonder a little at the fact that they were being openly affectionate in front of the team. Derek was standing next to Penelope, a smug grin across his face. Spencer, an excellent profiler, knew that he was trying to look casual and nonchalant, but that this was his way of showing how relieved he was. Garcia was smiling and crying at the same time, glad that she hadn't lost another one of her precious family members. J.J. and Rossi both looked happy and content, glad that death had not entered their lives once again.

Then, Spencer looked up at the beautiful young woman sitting beside him. Her green eyes were threatening to overflow and despite the dark circles under her eyes and the fact that her skin was a pasty white, Stella had never looked more beautiful to him.

"I love you," he told her quietly, for once not embarrassed that the team could hear his words of endearment.

"**Though I haven't told you how much I care, how much you mean to me, it's not good to say that I don't value you. If you only know how much fear losing you then you'd understand how much I care."--Unknown**


	26. Finally feeling better

**"When you are in Love you can't fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams."—Dr. Seuss**

Stella's POV

I drew in a sharp breath. "I love you two, Spencer." With that, I leaned in close and kissed him gently on the lips.

Derek whistled and the rest of the team laughed, causing me to pull away and blush with embarrassment.

"Don't worry about them," Reid whispered. "They're just jealous. What happened to your head, anyway?" He reached up weakly and touched my cheek softly.

I smiled down at him. "I fainted in the hall a little while ago and hit my head on the nurses' desk. But don't worry, I'm okay."

"She hasn't left your side since she got here, Reid," Garcia told him. "She's exhausted."

I glared at Penelope; There was no need to worry Spencer while he was recovering from a life-threatening injury.

"You need to rest, Stella. Sixty-five percent of people with sleeping problems blame it on stress," he rattled off to me quickly.

I just smiled again and kissed his forehead. "I'm glad to have you back, baby."

After about forty-five minutes, the nurse said that Spencer needed to rest for a while. It was almost nine o'clock at night and the doctor wanted him to get a full night's sleep.

"You should do the same thing," Spencer advised me. "Get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up in the morning."

I nodded. "Okay, as long as you're sure. I can sleep on the sofa—"

Reid shook his head. "No, baby. You need to sleep in a real bed."

Emily put her arms around me. "We'll make sure she does, Reid. Don't worry about a thing."

While Spencer went to sleep, Morgan, Rossi, J.J., Garcia, and I went to the hotel across the street. When we stepped into the elevator, I suddenly realized how tired I was. Garcia was hugging Morgan, so I hesitantly leaned my head against Rossi's shoulder.

"It hit me all at once," I admitted, yawning widely.

Dave put his arms around me and held me close to him. "I figured it would. In just a few minutes, cara mia, you'll be able to sleep in a comfortable bed."

"He's right," J.J. agreed. " The beds here are comfortable."

The elevator reached our floor and we all stepped out into the hallway. It seemed like it was all I could do to put each foot in front of the other. J.J. ushered me into the room we'd be sharing and I pulled off my jeans and t-shirt, then slipped between the cool sheets.

When I woke up, sun was shining in through the bedroom windows and I could hear the shower going. The clock next to the bed read 7:30AM. I had slept all night long and I felt refreshed and rejuvenated. My cell phone, which I'd left next to the bed, started to ring.

"Hello?" My voice still sounded somewhat drowsy, so I sat up and shook myself completely awake.

"Stella, it's Spencer. I was wondering when you were going to come over to the hospital. I'm awake and I really want to see you," he told me.

"Yeah, I'll be over soon. I'm going to shower first, since it's been a while since I've done that, but I'll be there as soon as I can," I assured him.

The moment J.J got out of the shower, I climbed in and quickly washed off four days worth of grime. My hair seemed to feel much lighter and I emerged feeling like a shiny new penny. Rushing through the motions, I put on a little makeup and dried my hair as fast as possible.

"He'll still be there when you get arrive, Stella," J.J. reminded me, laughing as I knocked a bottle of shampoo of the counter for the third time in my haste.

"Of course he will!" I snapped, still a little sensitive about Spencer's recent close shave with death. When I saw the look of hurt cross across J.J.'s pretty face, I instantly felt remorseful.

"Sorry," I apologized. "I just don't like to think that he might not have lived. I guess I'm a little snappy."

J.J.'s smile returned. "It's okay. Now, I'm going to get breakfast with the team. We thought you wouldn't mind staying with Spence for an hour or so, just while we we're gone."

I nodded eagerly. "That sounds good to me."

When the team dropped me off at the hospital, I practically ran to Spencer's room. He had just finished breakfast and smiled when he saw me.

"You're here!" he exclaimed.

Grinning back, I took my place in the chair beside his bed. "Of course. I think the team decided we deserved some time alone. They all went out for breakfast to Cracker Barrel, I think."

Spencer slipped his hand around mine and squeezed it tightly. "Why don't you sit beside me for a little while. You know, on the bed beside me."

When he blushed, my heart soared. There had been a time when I had thought I would never see him blush that bright crimson again. "Are you sure?" I asked, somewhat hesitantly. "I don't want to hurt you."

He shook his head and patted the left side of his bed. "All my injuries are my right side. You won't hurt me."

Still a little shy about "climbing into bed" with him, I sat on the bed and then swung my legs up next to his. My head nestled perfectly between his arm and his chest.

"I love you, Stella," he whispered as I got comfortable.

"I love you, too, Spence," I replied happily, closing my eyes as I rested against him.

"Maybe we should take a nap," he suggested. "I seem to get tired very easy."

"We can sleep for as long as you want," I assured him, resting my arm very gently on the side of his ribcage. "I'm not going anywhere. Not for a very long time, Spencer Reid."

"**There is only one happiness in life—to love and be loved." –George Sand**


	27. Lots of love all around

"What was hard to endure is sweet to recall."—French Proverb

_Stella's POV_

"Should we wake them up?" I heard someone say through the drowsy darkness I was engulfed in. Slowly, I opened my eyes and looked around. I very quickly realized that I was still sleeping on the bed next to Spencer, his arm around me. Emily and Hotch were standing in the doorway, watching us. While Hotch was smiling, Emily looked angry.

"Um…he was…cold?" I feigned, not a good liar by any standards.

"I thought we agreed you'd keep it PG," Emily reminded me. "I trusted you, Stella."

My heart fell. I hadn't thought she'd mind this. "Sorry," I mumbled. "I just wanted to be near him."

Suddenly, a smile spread across her pretty face. "It's fine, Stella. I was just teasing you." She laughed. "You guys aren't doing anything wrong."

I looked up at Spencer, who was still sleeping peacefully. Very gently, I lifted his arm off of me and crawled off the bed. He needed his sleep and as much as I wanted to stay close to him, it would be somewhat awkward with the rest of the team there.

_Emily's POV_

As the day progressed, Reid grew stronger and visited with the entire team. Emily noticed that Hotch seemed a little distant from everyone else. Finally, she saw him turn on heel and leave the room.

"I'll be back," she told the others quietly, following him.

She caught up to him down the hallway, in the small lobby. "Aaron!" she called. "What's wrong?"

He faced her suddenly, making her stop suddenly in her tracks. She nearly ran into his broad chest.

"I can't do this anymore, Emily," he told her.

" Do what?" she asked, confused. Fear flashed through her mind as she imagined Hotch breaking up with her right here, just because he couldn't handle the stress of having a relationship intertwined with their jobs.

Instead, his words were a complete surprise to her. "I can't do this job without having you know how I feel about you. Without knowing how you feel about me."

For once, Emily Prentiss was left speechless. She hadn't seen this coming. They'd only been dating for a couple of months now. Before she had a chance to search for the words, Aaron took her face in his strong hands. "I love you, Emily. And, if something happens to either of us, I want you to know that. I don't want to leave anything unsaid."

Tears filled Emily's dark eyes and her chin quivered dangerously. She had wanted to hear this words for as long as she could remember. "I love you, too, Aaron."

Hotch leaned in to kiss her, but she stopped him. "Not here. Somewhere…private."

After a few minutes of searching for the right place, Aaron led Emily into dimly lit storage room. She had barely had time to close the door when he pinned her back against the door, his mouth crashing against hers passionately. One hand knotted itself in her long, dark hair and the other found the lock on the doorknob, ensuring their privacy.

In seconds, Emily had helped Aaron shed his tie and white button-up shirt, leaving him in a thin cotton undershirt. He, in turn, pulled her top over her head, leaving her in a skimpy black lace camisole. As his mouth trailed fiery kisses down her neck and he nipped at her ear, she groaned quietly, spurring her further.

_Stella's POV_

When Emily left in pursuit of Hotch, I gave Spencer a significant glance that wasn't missed by Derek.

"What's going on between those two that you guys know about that we don't?" he wanted to know.

Cursing myself inwardly, I grinned nervously. "They're getting to be better friends," I suggested. Penelope wasn't buying for a second.

"Fess up, you two," she insisted.

I looked at Spencer and shrugged my shoulders, asking him without words exactly what I should say.

"Go ahead and tell them," he told me. "If they didn't want anyone to know, they should have been more careful."

"Okay, well…the night that Spence and I went out on our date, we came back to find Emily and Hotch making out on the couch. Ever since then, they've been seeing each other secretly."

"Like we didn't see it coming," Rossi laughed. He had known about it ever since the beginning. After all, he was one of the FBI's most skilled profilers.

"I knew they were hiding something," J.J. admitted.

Three days later, Spencer was discharged from the hospital and the BAU's private jet had been fueled up and was waiting for us when we arrived at the airport. I held tight to Spencer's hand as we made our way onto the plane. Emily and Hotch sat down next to one another, as did Morgan and Garcia. Rossi had found a new book he wanted to read on the flight and J.J. was finishing some work on her laptop.

Within thirty minutes into the flight, everyone was sound asleep, except for Spencer and me. We were all tired, yes, but I wanted to spend time with my boyfriend. Alone.

As I snuggled up to his good side, Spencer put his arm around me and rubbed my own arm with his long fingers. "You know what scared me the most?" I asked him.

"What?" he replied quietly.

"On the flight down here, I was so afraid that I wouldn't get to say goodbye, if you were dying. All I could think about was how I have always wished that I could have spent just a few seconds with my parents before they died."

Spencer kissed my forehead lightly. "I'm here, Stella. And I'm not going anywhere."

I leaned my head back and looked up at him. "Maybe I'm crazy," but I love you more than anyone else."

Spencer brought his other hand up to my face and stroked my cheek gently with his thumb. "And I love you, too, my beautiful high school graduate."

I gasped, sitting up straight very suddenly. "I was supposed to graduate last night! Oops!" I giggled.

Reid smiled. "I'm sorry you had to miss it, but I'm glad you were here with me. I don't think I would have made it without your voice talking me through everything."

I stretched up and kissed him slowly and lingeringly.

"I am like a falling star who has finally found her place next to another in a lovely constellation, where we will sparkle in the heavens forever."—Amy Tan


	28. And the hits just keep on comin

"A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous." –Ingrid Bergman

_Stella's POV_

I sighed into Spencer's mouth, letting his tongue twine around mine slowly. My hands snaked upwards, around his neck. He pulled me closer and ran his hands through my long hair.

Suddenly, I remembered that we were in the confines of a small, narrow jet and that all of the BAU team was sleeping around us. If they woke up, it would make for a seriously awkward situation.

"We can't," I objected quietly, pushing Spencer away. "What if they catch us?"

He shrugged. "We're just kissing. People do that all the time," he stated very matter-of-factly.

My eyebrows shot up. "Spencer Reid! You're conforming into Morgan right before my eyes!"

Reid pressed his forehead against mine. "Are you saying you'd rather me blush instead of kiss you this way?"

Shaking my head adamantly, I eased myself closer to him and as I spoke, my lips brushed against his. "Not a chance. For a nerdy guy, you're the best kisser ever. Of course, I've never had much experience in that ar—" My words were cut short when Spencer covered my mouth with his again. I had no choice to give in; I was at his mercy.

When we got back to the airport, I offered to drive Spencer back to his apartment since the doctors didn't want him to drive for another week or so. Emily agreed and said she'd pick me up later in the evening. I knew that she and Hotch were going back to our apartment, so this would give them the chance to have some alone time.

"You know, I'm really all right to drive," Spencer insisted, reluctantly climbing into the passenger seat.

"I know you are, but the doctors don't want you too and believe me, you're going to do _exactly _as they say, mister!" I insisted. "I'm not letting anything happen to you again"

When we got back to his apartment building, Spencer complained the whole way upstairs about me carrying his go-bag. He was in the middle of explaining some statistics on why he was going to be fine when I hushed him with a deep kiss.

That evening, as Spencer lounged on the sofa under my orders, I fixed us a quick supper of hamburgers on the stove and oven-baked French fries.

"It smells really good," Spencer commented as I handed him a plate and then sat down next to him on the couch. "I might kidnap you and keep you here to cook for me."

I grinned at him and leaned close for a kiss. "Somehow, I don't think I would mind…" I whispered. Just before our lips touched, I shoved a fry in my mouth and pulled back.

Reid scowled. "That's not fair," he objected, grabbing my wrist and pulling me close again. "You're mean."

I grew serious. "I'm not mean, baby. And if you want to kiss me, then I will. After all, the doctors said to make sure you had whatever you needed."

Spencer's eyebrows shot up suggestively. "Whatever I want?"

Our food grew very cold before we ever ate it.

_Emily's POV_

While Stella was over at Reid's apartment, making sure he was well settled in, Aaron came home with Emily. They stopped to pick up some groceries first, then drove to her place.

"It's good to be home," Emily sighed, walking into the apartment and tossing her keys onto the table in the entryway before setting the bags of groceries down on the kitchen counter.

"You're lucky. My new place hasn't exactly become 'home' yet," Aaron remarked, setting the rest of the bags down.

Emily placed one of her long, slender hands over one of his. "You're always welcome here, Aaron. You know that, right?"

Hotch pulled her close, brushed away her bangs, and kissed her forehead. "I know. But, how would Stella feel about that?"

Emily hugged him tight. "She likes you, Hotch. And besides, she spends a lot of time with Reid."

"Do you predict something happening there?" Hotch asked quietly.

Emily smacked Aaron on the back of the head. "Are you trying to insinuate that you want my newly adopted sister to get married to the world's biggest geek?"

He smiled down at her, something he had begun doing more and more often. "I'd say they are both head-over-heels in love with each other," he admitted, stroking Emily's cheek with his thumb gently.

"Kinda like you are with me?" Emily raised her eyebrows suggestively and slid her hand into one of Hotch's.

Aaron nodded. "Yes, exactly how I'm in love with you." He leaned in close and kissed her, long and slow, his hand trailing through her long brown locks.

_Stella's POV_

Around eleven-thirty, I made sure that Spencer was safely in bed with his cell phone right on the table beside him.

"I wish you didn't have to go," he told me as I sat down beside him for a minute. "I feel like the world's worst boyfriend, not driving you home and walking you to the door."

"You're the world's greatest boyfriend, Spence," I assured him. " It's not your fault that that horrible man used bullets that went through your vest." Leaning down, I kissed his forehead, then trailed kisses down the side of his face, all the way over to the corner of his mouth.

"I love you, Stella," he whispered softly.

"I love you, too," I replied, kissing him full on the lips this time.

That night, when I got back to the car, I looked down to rummage around in my purse, searching for the keys. Suddenly, from behind, an arm encircled my neck and squeezed tightly, cutting off my air supply. I struggled and tried to call out for help, but the world was quickly disappearing right before my very eyes. Then, my head slammed forward against the hard glass window of Reid's car and I lost consciousness, fireworks exploding inside my head.

"Murderers, in general, are people who are consistent, people who are obsessed with one idea and nothing else."—Ugo Betti


	29. Author's Note

_Hey to all my loyal readers and reviewers! I'm sorry it has taken me so long to update. I've been involved with a two-week long day camp, other commitments, and on top of it all, I got sick over the weekend. Please hang in there, though. I do have the rest of my story planned, but I just have to find the time to write it all! Thanks!_


	30. Missing

"If I'd never met you, I wouldn't like you. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't love you. If I didn't love you, I wouldn't miss you. But I did, I do, and I will." –Unknown.

_Emily's POV_

By midnight, Emily was getting worried. She had originally planned to pick Stella up, but then decided to let her drive Reid's car home. She should have been home by now. Emily called her several times, then finally called Reid.

"Hello?" he answered drowsily.

"Reid, it's Emily. Is Stella still there?" she asked anxiously. "She said she would leave around eleven thirty and she isn't home yet."

In the background, Emily could hear Reid sitting up and switching on the light beside his bed.

"No," he replied. "She left a few minutes before then. Why? Is she not home yet?" Worry filled his voice as he spoke.

"No!" Emily wailed. "I'm getting worried. It shouldn't take her more than ten or fifteen minutes to get home from your place."

"I'm going to the parking deck now," Reid declared. "I'll call you back in a few minutes."

_Reid's POV_

When Spencer saw his car still in the parking garage, he felt sick to his stomach. "Damn it!" he swore loudly, pulling out his phone to call Emily.

"Did you find her?" Prentiss asked frantically.

"She's gone, Emily," Reid announced. "My car is still here, but I don't see her." Something caught his eye and he knelt by the side of the car and picked up Stella's cell phone off the ground. It had been smashed into several pieces. "Get Hotch over here right away, Emily!"

There was dead silence on the end of the phone and it quickly dawned on Spencer that maybe he shouldn't have broken the news to her so suddenly. "Emily? Are you okay?" he wanted to know.

"Huh? Yeah, I'll be okay, Reid. I just…oh! She can't be gone!"

"Don't worry, Emily. We're going to find her," Reid declared bravely. "We have to find her," he thought to himself.

Within thirty minutes, the entire team had arrived at Reid's apartment and within another twenty, an FBI forensics team was there. Emily had her head buried on Hotch's shoulder, trying to hide her tears, although it was obvious that she was crying. Spencer just stood to the side, willing himself to forget all the facts he knew about kidnappings, rapes, torture and murder. He couldn't bear to think about any of those things happening to his beloved Stella.

"Hey, Reid," Morgan called to him. He didn't answer. "Hey, kid!" Morgan spoke louder this time and Reid's head snapped up.

"Yeah?" he replied, looking up at the older guy.

"Kid, we're gonna find her. You hear me?" Morgan rumpled Spencer's hair playfully.

"Of course we are!" Reid snapped, taking Derek by surprise.

_Stella's POV_

When the veil of darkness lifted, I had no idea where I was. All I knew was that the surface I was lying on was cool and slick. When I combined that with the constant motion I felt, I deduced that I was riding in the back seat of a car.

Gradually, I came to realize that my wrists and ankles were bound tightly with a plastic tie that cut into my skin painfully. I could see a face vaguely reflected in the windshield, but it was so dark outside that nothing was very clear. The clock on the dash of the car said it was after midnight, so I'd been gone over forty-five minutes. Maybe by now Emily would've gotten worried enough to call Reid.

Oh, my poor beloved Reid. He needed to be recovering from being shot, not dealing with my being kidnapped again. I tried to move and my head began to throb, making me groan loudly.

"You better hush, Ms. Weir. Otherwise, Dr. Reid won't have his lovely girlfriend for very much longer."

I bit my tongue and promised myself that I would be totally silent from here on out, especially since getting back to Spencer, Emily and the rest of my friends was the most important thing to me.

Closing my eyes as silent tears streamed down my cheeks, I prayed over and over again for God to send me help, for him to give me the strength to endure whatever might be coming.

Suddenly, the car stopped and my eyes popped open suddenly. "Where are we?" I wondered to myself. The driver door opened and my kidnapper got out, slamming it behind him. I flinched as he opened the door next to my feet and then he was pulling me out with strong hands. Fighting back a scream, I silently cursed him as he tossed me over his shoulder easily, for there was no doubt in my mind that he was a man. Derek had given me a hug once and picked me up when he did it. This felt the same way—this man was well-built and muscular.

"Dr. Reid's going to be very sad to find out that I've got his little lady," the man laughed sadistically. "And so will the entire FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit." He spoke the last three words as if they were sour in his mouth.

"This guy must have a spite against the BAU, but Spencer in particular." I made a mental note of the fact in my head, working up a profile in my mind. Thank the Lord for Rossi's books.

_Emily's POV_

When morning arrived, Emily was exhausted already and only standing thanks to the cups of hot coffee J.J. and Garcia were constantly bringing her. Hotch never left her side, his hand always on the small of her back and her lips frequently coming in contact with her forehead in a tender gesture.

"We will find her," he kept whispering softly.

If Emily thought she looked bad, all she had to do was take one look at Reid. The poor kid looked as if he wanted to curl up and cry in a corner. Morgan was trying to keep him cheerful and upbeat, but it wasn't working.

Around nine in the morning, Emily's cell phone rang. The news about Stella's disappearance and her connection with the BAU had gone public right away, especially assuming that it might just be a random robbery or mugging.

She looked at the Caller ID and saw that it was her mother. "Damn media!" she swore loudly, flipping the phone open and holding it to her ear. "Hello, Mother."

"Emily, what is this I hear about you on the news? It says that a teenage girl you adopted has gone missing. You adopted a daughter?" Ambassador Prentiss exclaimed in one angry breath.

"Well…she's more of a…sister to me," Emily admitted, feeling the ache in her throat rise up again.

"Would you care to explain yourself to me, young lady?" her mother demanded to know.

Suddenly, Emily had had all she could take. "No, Mother, I would not! I don't have to explain every detail of my life to you! I'm grown up and you DO NOT run my life anymore! Are. We. Clear?" With that, she hurled the phone across the room and broke down, sobbing pitifully.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. ~Kahlil Gibran


	31. Two Weeks

"Every man is afraid of something. That's how you know he's in love with you; when he is afraid of losing you." --Unknown

_Emily's POV_

Hotch rushed into his office where Emily was supposed to be resting. In one sweeping glance, he took in the smashed cell phone, the dent in his wall, and his sobbing girlfriend on the sofa.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" he wanted to know, scooping her up in his strong arms and cradling her against his body.

"My mother is such a…a bitch!" Emily sobbed, clinging to him and using his tie to wipe her tears on.

"She found out, I guess," Hotch remarked dryly. Emily's mother lacked maternal instincts, it seemed.

"She was all worried about why I had adopted Stella and she never bothered to ask if I was doing okay, or if we'd found any leads."

Hotch rubbed soothing circles on Emily's back and ran his fingers through her long brown hair. "We will find, Stella, Em. That's my promise to you."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Aaron," she whispered back.

_Stella's POV_

After being tied to an uncomfortable bed all night long and getting no sleep whatsoever, I saw sunlight coming through the crack in the door that kept me shut in the small room. The thought of morning gave me fresh hope—maybe today the team would find me and I'd be reunited with Reid.

Even though it was useless, I tugged at the rope that held me to the iron bedpost, desperate to get out of this place that I was in. As I jerked and twisted my arm, I heard footsteps coming down the hallway and froze like a statue.

"Please, God," I prayed. "Please don't let him kill and give me the strength to endure whatever he does to me. Please, Lord."

The door swung open and slammed against the wall, jarring the entire room. For the first time, I saw my kidnapper's face. He didn't look sadistic; He looked like a guy I might pass on the street or someone I'd speak to in the line at Starbucks.

"Good morning, Stella," he greeted me, walking over to the bed.

I shrank away from him, even though I had resolved to act brave. "Who are you?" I asked quietly, my voice shaking with fear.

The man shook his head as he grabbed my free wrist and began lashing it to the other bedpost. "Wrong question, Stella. The better question is, will you ever recover from what I'm about to do to you?"

Without meaning to, I held my breath as his hands trailed down my arm to the buttons on my shirt.

_Reid's POV_

As the days passed at an alarming rate, Reid grew more and more reclusive. He didn't speak to anyone and he managed to stay on his feet only due to large cups of coffee, one right after the other. Hotch placed both him and Emily on personal leave, but Spencer still came and sat at his desk every day, waiting for some new lead turn up—some new shred of evidence that might tell him that his girlfriend was still alive. Nothing was heard for two whole weeks. Without intending to, the team just assumed that Stella was dead and that nothing would ever be heard from her again.

_Derek's POV_

One morning, Derek arrived at work and saw Reid staring into space, his eyes glazed over.

"Hey, kid, go home and get some sleep," Morgan ordered him gently. "You're gonna kill yourself."

"I was going to propose to her," Reid announced very suddenly. Then, he looked directly at Derek and the older agent saw that the young doctor was totally serious.

"That night after she left my apartment, I began planning how I'd do it. I was going to take her to this park where we spend time when I'm home and I was going to let her find the ring," Spencer continued honestly. "I went out and bought the ring last week, just to convince myself that she's coming back. But she isn't, is she?"

Derek looked down at the small black box that Reid was holding in his hand and his sweet, gentle heart ached for his friend. "Hey, man, we don't know that. The son-of-a-bitch who did this could just be keeping her somewhere as his prisoner. You know the kind of sick people we deal with." As soon as he said the last words, Derek regretted them. Of course Reid had been thinking about that. His girlfriend had been kidnapped by someone like that—a twisted, evil person.

"We all know the chances, Morgan," Reid replied. Then, he looked down at the box. "Still, I keep holding on to this hope that something will turn up. As stupid as it sounds, I want…closure, at least."

Derek patted Spencer on the shoulder. "You're not the only one, kid. Stella was a little sister to me too, and if we ever find out who did this, I'll make sure they don't walk away untouched."

_Stella's POV_

I assumed that today would be just like the last thirteen—he'd rape me, then leave me for hours, and finally come back to feed me, then leave me again. I _wanted _to die now—I was fairly begging God to make this all stop. If I couldn't be with Spencer, then I wanted to be in Heaven, where there was no more pain and no more tears.

The door swung open and I flinched, just like I had for the last thirteen days. He walked in, but this time he held something in his hand.

"Time to see Dr. Reid again," he told me.

"Spencer?" I breathed, weak and exhausted.

My kidnapper pulled a small bottle and syringe out of his pocket and filled the syringe with a strange clear liquid.

"Time to take a little nap," he informed me.

I shook my head feebly. "Please, don't!" I begged, as he grabbed my wrist with his strong hand. Very slowly, he injected the needle into my vein and inserted the liquid into my bloodstream. I flinched faintly, the powerful drug already beginning to take effect.

"You're going to blow Dr. Reid," I heard him saying as I darkness shrouded me once more.

When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. ~Author Unknown


	32. Bomb Squad Called In

"We cannot banish dangers, but we can banish fears. We must not demean life by standing in awe of death." –David Sarnoff

_Stella's POV_

I awoke with a start, my neck snapping up sharply, as I took in a deep, sharp breath. As my eyes adjusted to the dim light of the room, I surveyed my surroundings. They were completely different from those I'd been in for the past two weeks. This was a small cinderblock room with one door leading out. My ankle was handcuffed to a gas pipe against the wall and I couldn't move very far at all. About that time, I realized what I was wearing.

It was a vest, but not just any type of vest. It was suicide bomber's vest. It was as if my world stopped at that very moment. This was it—this was the end. Was that what he'd meant by I'd blow Dr. Reid—that I would literally blow him away?

_Reid's POV_

Reid was still at his desk, staring at the black box in his hands. People passed by him and stared, but he never noticed. His mind was far away, which was why he didn't hear his cell phone ringing until Morgan shouted at him and alerted him.

He answered it with a weary hello.

"Hello, Dr. Reid," a male voice greeted him. "Are you still pining for your girlfriend, or have you forgotten all about her already?"

Spencer sat up very straight in his chair and gestured for Derek to come over as he put the phone on speakerphone.

"Who the hell is this?" Reid demanded to know. Morgan nudged him and shook his head—this wasn't the way to handle it.

"Ahh, you always ask the wrong questions, Dr. Reid. How about 'where is my beloved Stella?' " the voice said charmingly.

"She's alive?" Spencer choked, unable to believe that it could actually be true.

"She's alive and locked in the basement of the Westside Mall. You better hurry, though; She doesn't have much time."

_Stella's POV_

I'd been screaming for what felt like hours when finally, I heard a voice answer me.

"Stella?" Reid called through the door.

My voice caught and I just knew I was dreaming. "Spencer?" I gasped, unable to believe it.

"Stella!" he replied joyfully. "Just sit tight. We're here and we're going to get you out of there! Soon!"

I shook my head. "No!" I yelled. "Get everyone out of here. He's got me in a suicide vest, Spence. He wants me to kill you!"

There was nothing but dead silence on the other side of the door. Then, his voice came again. Calm, cool, and very composed. Very FBI agent-like. "Okay, we're getting the bomb squad down here and we're gonna open this door so we can talk to you. Does it look like the door might be the trigger from your side?"

."No. I don't see any wires or anything."

"Okay. That's good."

I took a deep breath, still praying that things would turn out okay, that I wouldn't blow all my friends into the hereafter.

"Stella?" Spencer spoke my name again.

"Yes?" I replied.

"Did he hurt you, baby?"

I sobbed loudly. "Yeah…he did. But…I think I'll be all right." Truthfully, I wasn't sure if I was. My body was sore from all the times he'd raped me and I felt so violated that I wasn't sure if I'd ever feel comfortable with anyone touching me that way again. Still, I wanted to feel Spencer's arms around me just once more.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence of my side of the door and Reid's, he finally spoke again. "Stella, we're going to have to use a small charge to blast the door open. You need to cover your face, okay?"

I curled up in a fetal position, facing away from the door and scrunching my eyes shut. "Okay, go ahead."

Behind me, there was a muffled thud and the door swung open slamming against the wall. I rolled over as Spencer rushed into the room, followed by Emily, Morgan, and Hotch.

"Stella!" they exclaimed in a chorus of voices, kneeling by my side. Spencer pressed a deep, swift kiss to my lips and Emily squeezed my hand. Derek surveyed my visible wounds with anger and Hotch smiled comfortingly.

"How are you?" Emily wanted to know, tears streaming down her cheeks.

I nodded. "I'm okay right now. Just—can you guys get me out of this thing?" I wanted to know anxiously, holding Emily's hand with one of mine while the other was tightly clasped in Reid's hand.

"We've got the bomb squad right outside," Derek informed me. "We're going to let them take a look at this."

"You're gonna get out of here, Stella," Spencer declared firmly. He almost sounded as if he was trying to convince himself and not me.

Morgan called the bomb squad in and they immediately began examining the vest I was wearing.

"We can't remove it," one of them said. "It's wired to blow if we try that."

"What about defusing it?" Hotch wanted to know, keeping his hand on Emily's arm.

"We're going to try, Agent Hotchner, but first we need to get a better idea of what we're dealing with," the man replied, still studying the device attached to me.

"Okay, it's cell phone activated," he announced after a minute or two.

"That could be any of the people in the mall," Emily spoke up. "Ninety-nine percent of them have cell phones."

"Mall?" I echoed. "Where are we?"

"Westside Mall, baby girl," Derek informed me. "Don't worry about it."

"Are you evacuating all the people?" I wanted to know anxiously.

"Morgan, call Garcia and have her start jamming all the cell frequencies in the mall, just in case," Hotch ordered the handsome black man, who immediately left the room to do as he was told.

" We're going to have to defuse this bomb, sir," the same man from the bomb squad told Hotch. "We need you guys to get out of here."

"Has anyone evacuated the mall?" I almost screamed. That's when I burst into tears. Spencer knelt beside me again immediately.

"Can you give us just a minute before you start?" Reid asked the squad. "Just three minutes—that's all I need."

"Sure thing, Dr. Reid," they replied, getting up and heading out of the room. And then we were all alone. Together.

"Danger can only be overcome by more danger." –Greek Proverb


	33. A Proposal

"Every stress leaves an indelible scar, and the organism pays for its **survival** after a stressful situation by becoming a little older."—Dr. Hans Selve

Spencer took my face in his hands and kissed me long and slow, then pulled back and looked down into my tear-filled eyes.

"I'm just glad I got to see you," I whispered. "One last time."

"Stella, we're going to get you out of here," he insisted. "Just as soon as the bomb squad defuses the bomb."

"But if I don't…"I paused, trying to find the right words. "I don't want to leave anything unsaid."

Shaking his head, Spencer swallowed hard. "You're right." He stopped to swallow again and then slowly pulled a small black box out of his pocket. "I bought this while you were gone, to convince myself that you were coming back."

More tears cascaded down my cheeks as he opened the box and a beautiful diamond ring sparkled up at me. "You want to marry me?" I gasped, looking up from the ring into his dark eyes.

He nodded. " I know it hasn't been very long since I met you, but I love you, Stella. I love you more than anything in the world and I want to marry you. Will you? Marry me?"

I sobbed for a minute, then nodded slowly. "Yes. Oh yes!"

Spencer slipped the ring onto my finger slowly, savoring the tender moment. Then, he leaned close and kissed me again.

"Dr. Reid? We really have to start now," the man from the bomb squad announced quietly, interrupting our embrace.

"We need to let them get to work, Spence," I told him softly. "You should go."

"I'm not going anywhere," he declared. "Not until you're going with me." He turned to the squad. "Come on. I'm staying with my fiancée."

As minutes ticked by slowly, the bomb squad worked diligently, making sure that they didn't set the device off by accident. I kept waiting for the phone attached to it to ring loudly and with the ring, my life end.

"Okay. That does it," the man said, snipping one last wire. "Let's get you out of this thing, Ms. Weir."

"What?" I exclaimed. "That's it? You defused it already?"

"We're the best at our jobs, ma'am," he informed me.

I turned to Spencer and saw that he was smiling with relief. "It's over," he whispered. "We can go home now." Very gently, he pushed some hair off of my forehead and then kissed me softly.

I held onto his hand tightly. "It's over?" I breathed, shaking my head. Somehow that fact just wasn't registering with me. "I'm alive?"

Reid crushed me against him. "Yes, baby. You're safe!"

The minute I was out of the vest, EMTs lifted me onto a waiting stretcher and I was a willing patient, the exhaustion and pain finally setting in. All of a sudden, I felt as though I couldn't move another inch without assistance; My body was battered and broken. The whole team was crowded around, all worried about me. I picked out Emily's concerned face, Hotch behind her, his hand on her shoulder, Derek's worried expression, Rossi's comforting warm dark eyes, and J.J's pretty features altered by anxiety. And, always nearby was Spencer, who still held my hand tightly as he followed me to the ambulance.

"You're going to be fine, Stella," he continued to assure me.

I tried to stay away, but a veil of darkness closed over me. This time, however, I knew that when I awoke, I'd be among those who loved me.

_Reid's POV_

The team of profilers sat in the E.R. waiting room, impatient for a report on Stella. She'd been in the examination room for over an hour now and they wanted an update. Hotch was getting fresh coffee for himself and Emily, Rossi was attempting to convince the nurse to get a report, J.J., Derek, and Garcia were talking quietly among themselves while Reid paced back and forth nervously.

"What's taking so long?" he wanted to know for the sixth time in thirty minutes. "How long does it take to examine her injuries?"

"Be patient, sweetness," Garcia told him. "They're probably doing a thorough check-up."

About that time, a doctor came through the double doors. "Stella Weir's family?" he called.

Reid's head snapped around and Emily jumped to her feet, quickly followed by the rest of the team.

"How's she doing?" Spencer demanded to know.

"She's resting," the doctor replied. "We're admitting her just to watch her for the night and make sure she gets plenty of fluids."

Emily took a step forward and Hotch was right there at her side. "What did you find, when you checked her out?"

The doctor shook his head. "Nothing good, I'm afraid. She was raped numerous times. Other than that, she's just bruised and severely dehydrated and malnourished."

"Can I see her?" Reid asked. He'd wanted to stay with her the whole time, but the nurse had insisted he stay in the waiting room.

"Yes, soon. We're taking her up to the eighth floor right now," the doctor informed him. "She's in room 393, I believe."

When the team got upstairs, a nurse was inserting an IV into Stella's arm and hooking some precautionary monitors up to her. When she saw Reid, her sad face lit up with a smile.

"Spencer!" she exclaimed. Then, turning to the nurse, she whispered, "he's my fiancé."

"How are you feeling?" Reid asked, walking into the room slowly. He hated hospitals and this reminded him of his own recent stay in one, when he'd been shot.

"I'm okay," Stella replied honestly. "What about you? Have you been resting enough?"

Reid was about to nod when the rest of the team unanimously declared that he hadn't. "I have so!" He objected. "But I have been worrying."

"Dinner will be by soon, honey," the nurse informed Stella, as she left the room.

"Thank you," Stella called after her, silently turning up her nose at the idea of hospital food. She was hungry for something real.

Emily and Hotch sat down beside the bed, while Reid settled himself on the side of the bed, clinging to Stella's hand as if he'd never let go. Rossi and J.J. went out to get Stella's favorite takeout Chinese while Morgan and Garcia walked down to the gift shop to get some flowers for Stella's room.

"I'm sorry we have to spend more time in hospitals," Stella apologized. " I wish I didn't have to be here. Or you guys either, for that matter."

"We're just glad you're home safe," Emily told her. "There towards the end…well, we're glad you're back."

"Me too," Stella whispered, glancing up at Reid who hadn't said anything in a while. He just kept her hand in his, the ring pressed into his palm.

"It's okay, isn't it, Emily?" Stella asked. "That Spence and I are engaged? Did he need your permission?"

Emily shook her head. "No. This is exactly what I would wish for. You two are perfect for one another."

Spencer smiled down at his fiancée. "Yes, we are."

"We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival." –Winston Churchill.


	34. Together Again

_Stella's POV_

That night, Spencer insisted on staying with me while Emily went home to get some rest. I could tell she was reluctant to leave, but at the same time, I really wanted to be alone with Reid for a little while. We needed some time to discuss everything that had happened.

When the entire team had said goodnight and left, Spencer relaxed in the chair beside the bed, still holding onto my hand tightly. He was very quiet and I knew he was waiting for me to start talking.

"Did they tell you…everything?" I asked him softly, breaking the silence.

"Just that he raped you. A lot. That son-of-a-bitch," Reid muttered angrily. "I'll kill him if I get the chance."

I listened to him, then continued. "He kept me tied to a bed and he fed me once a day. He'd rape me and laugh afterwards while I cried silently." Abruptly, I stopped, unable to continue when I became overwhelmed with emotion. Spencer eased himself onto the edge of the bed and took me into his arms, holding me close.

"It's okay," he whispered. " I understand if you're not ready. You can tell me later." Gently, he stroked my long hair, which desperately needed washing.

"Oh, Spencer!" I sobbed. "I missed you so much! I was so scared that I'd never be able to talk to you again."

"Shh…" Reid insisted. "You're safe now and I'm right here. I'm never going to leave you again."

I tangled my fingers in his hair and clung to him with all I had, almost afraid that I would wake up from this dream and realize I was still a captive and he was far away from my grasp. But, I didn't wake up.

"Maybe…we can talk about it later…when it's not so…painful," I told him quietly.

"Whenever you're ready, I'll be here," Spencer assured me, holding me at arm's length and looking deep into my eyes. "I love you, Stella."

'I love you, too," I replied, thinking to myself that nothing had ever been more true.

Reid leaned in and kissed me, slow and sweet. My arms slid around his neck and pulled him closer and I parted my lips, granting his tongue easy entrance. This was what I'd dreamed of feeling again since the moment that I'd been abducted. I moaned quietly as he knotted his fingers in my hair passionately.

_Emily's POV_

That night, after leaving the hospital, Emily rode back to her apartment, Hotch driving her car. She was exhausted from the long, stressful day, but it worth it to know that Stella was safe.

"You okay?" Hotch asked, breaking the silence they'd ridden in for twenty minutes.

Emily nodded. "Just worn out," she admitted. "I really thought that we were going to lose her today. And Reid."

Aaron reached across the console and took her hand in his, squeezing it gently and stroking it with the back of his thumb. " Well, she's safe now. And I think she and Reid will be very happy together. In fact, I'm sure of it."

"Them being engaged makes me feel kinda old," Emily remarked, squeezing his hand in return. " I thought that when I adopted Stella, she'd have to grow up some. I didn't realize that she already had. And now she's engaged!"

"You _aren't _old!" Hotch declared. "To me, you're perfect."

Emily smiled wearily at him and leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder. "I love you, Aaron."

"I love you, too, Emily."

_Stella's POV_

The next day, the doctor released me and Spencer drove me home. Emily had offered to come pick me up, but Reid insisted and she seemed to give in easily. I was still considerably weakened from my captivity, so I was grateful when the nurse told me I had to ride downstairs in a wheel chair. Reid went down ahead of us while the older woman took me down.

"You've got a very nice young man there," she told me.

I smiled a little, something I was gradually learning to do again. "Yes ma'am, I do. He asked me to marry him yesterday."

"Really?" the nurse exclaimed. "Aww…that's so sweet. Can I see your ring?"

I held up my left hand for her to see the beautiful ring that Spencer had given me. She gasped and commented on how lovely it was.

When we got downstairs, Reid was waiting to pick me up. He helped me out of the wheelchair and into the front seat.

"You take good care of that fiancée of yours," the nurse called to him as he walked around to the driver's side.

"Yes, ma'am. I will."

Our drive home was slow, due to lunchtime traffic. I didn't mind, though; I enjoyed spending time with Spencer. To tell the truth, I didn't ever want to be apart from him again. I was afraid to be alone.

"Just so you know, Garcia practically has our entire wedding already planned out," Spence told me.

I laughed quietly, then stopped suddenly. It seemed to soon to laugh again. "Really? What does she have in mind?"

"I don't know exactly. I think it's all romantic wedding chapel and red roses."

I wrinkled my nose in distaste and Reid didn't miss it.

"Not your style?" he wondered. "What were you thinking?"

I shrugged. "Well, I haven't really given it much time. I like the idea of being married at the beach, though. In a flowy white dress. Barefooted. Very simple and elegant."

Spencer smiled. "That sounds better to me, too. We'll have to talk to Garcia about rearranging her plans."

"It's only been twenty-four hours since you proposed," I reminded him. "How much could be set in stone already?"

Reid raised his eyebrows. "You'd be surprised."

When we got upstairs, I opened the door and was greeted by a chorus of "Welcome Home!", shouted at the same time. The team had thrown a party to welcome me back. The apartment was decorated with streamers, balloons and more roses than I'd ever seen before in my life. Plus, the smell of fresh Italian cuisine was drifting through the apartment.

Emily came up to me and hugged me close. "We wanted to something to mark the occasion," she told me. "And Rossi felt like roses and Italian food was the only way to go."


	35. Hurting Reid

_Okay, couldn't do it. I had to finish this story soon. Just a heads up, this story will be done by June 30, cause then I'm going on a fanfic hiatus for a month. Anyway, also note that I'm not really doing quotes anymore. I'm a little tired of searching for them all the time. _

_Stella's POV_

Later that night, everyone left except for Hotch and Reid. The fragrance of fresh roses filled the air of the apartment.

"I think I'm getting a headache from all these flowers," I declared, closing the door behind Garcia as she left around midnight.

"Me too," Spencer agreed, glancing around him at the 'indoor greenhouse'. "I can't believe he brought you all of these. It's my job to bring you flowers."

I hugged him close, savoring the feel of his bony, slender body against mine.

"Hey, you guys, I'm gonna walk Hotch down to his car. Reid, stay as late as you want," Emily called, pulling on a sweater and slipping her hand into Hotch's.

"I'll take you up on that," he replied, leading me over to the couch.

As soon as Emily and Aaron were out the door, I snuggled closer to Spencer, wanting to feel him next to me.

"We've got at least ten minutes," I whispered suggestively.

"Actually, we have eleven minutes and thirty-three sec—" Reid began. I cut him off when I pressed my lips firmly against his. Immediately, his hand slipped underneath my tank top and pressed against the small of my back. I snaked one arm around his neck and clutched at his shirt with the other. He slid his other hand up my arm and squeezed it gently.

The firm grip he had on me suddenly paralyzed me with fear as I flashed back to my captivity and being raped. I gasped and scrambled away from Reid, leaving him looking like a whipped dog.

"Did I hurt you?" he wanted to know anxiously, wisely staying where he was.

I shook my head. " No, you didn't hurt me. At least, you didn't mean to, anyway. It was just the way you touched me—it reminded me of when he…raped me."

The expression that crossed Reid's face made me sorry I'd said anything. Why hadn't I just told him he'd pressed a bruise too hard? Instead, I'd made him feel terrible.

"Oh, Spencer, I'm so sorry," I apologized, rushing to his side and taking his hands in mine. "I didn't mean it like that."

He refused to look up, but he mumbled, "it's okay."

"No, it's not okay," I insisted. "I hurt you just now and I didn't mean to. Spence, it isn't that you remind me of _him, _it's just that the way you held me reminded me of the way he held me."

Reid looked up and his eyes were filled with sadness. "I didn't mean to remind you of him," he whispered. "I just wanted to hold you."

I pulled both of his arms around me and nestled myself against him. "And I want you to hold me, too. It's just going to…take a little time."

Spencer kissed the top of my head. "I'll be here as long as it takes," he told me quietly.

"I know you will," I replied sleepily.

_Emily's POV_

When Emily got upstairs, Reid was carrying a sleeping Stella upstairs. She looked completely worn out and he didn't look very well rested either. When he came back down, she handed him a beer, even though he didn't normally drink.

"You look like hell," Emily told him very simply.

Reid shrugged and took a long swig of the cold beverage. "I'm worried about Stella."

"That makes two of us, plus the team. So I guess that means seven of us are worried," Emily replied, downing some of her drink as well.

"I touched her the wrong way a minute ago and she nearly came unglued," Reid told her, tucking some hair behind his ear.

"Reid, you do realize that she was raped thirteen times, right? It's no wonder she's scared of anyone touching her like that!" For a moment, Emily was quiet and then she looked up sharply. "Exactly how were you touching her?" she asked sharply.

_Stella's POV_

When I woke up, I was lying in my room. The clock beside my bed said 4PM, which meant I'd been asleep for an hour. I wondered how I'd gotten there, but then I remembered Spencer bringing me upstairs. He had gently placed me in the middle of the bed, kissed my forehead, and whispered 'I love you' to me.

I got up and splashed some cold water on my face to wake me up, then headed downstairs. Emily was washing up dishes and trying to work around all the roses.

"I know Rossi meant well, but he got you _way to many roses!_" Emily declared when she heard me coming down.

"He's such a sweet guy. They're all really sweet. I was a little overwhelmed," I admitted, sitting down on a barstool.

"I could tell," Emily replied, smiling and raising her eyebrows. "Would you like something to drink?"

I nodded. "Just a Diet Dr. Pepper."

She handed me one out of the fridge and then went back to washing up the dirty dishes silently. I knew she was waiting for me to talk.

"I think I hurt Reid's feelings," I said quietly.

"How?" she asked innocently, even though I was fairly sure that she already knew what had happened.

"We were…kissing on the sofa and he just squeezed my arm. For some reason, it reminded me of how _he _had touched me. It scared me and I think it scared him, too." I sighed and took long swallow of my drink.

"He understands, Stella. I'm sure he does. He's been through a similar experience, minus the…well, you know."

"Minus the rape. Yes, I know he has. But the whole thing got me to thinking about what happens when we get married. Will I act the same way on our wedding night? Speaking of which, I wanted to be pure when I got married and now I've been…" I searched for the right word. "…violated."

Emily put down her dishrag and walked over to me. "Stella, Reid loves you just the way you are. He doesn't think of you as damaged. He loves you unconditionally. You're really lucky to have found someone like him."

"You've got someone like him, too," I reminded her. "Hotch."

"Yes, except that Hotch hasn't proposed to me yet."

I just smiled as she turned away. Somehow I didn't think it would be much longer before he did propose.


	36. Profiling without thinking

_Stella's POV_

After Emily finished with the dishes, we headed to the FBI office. The team was already planning to meet us there so we could discuss who might have kidnapped me. Garcia already had my description and statement, so when the team created a profile from what I was going to tell them, she could began searching.

We sat in the BAU room at the conference table. Reid sat beside me and held my hand underneath the table where no one could see, making me feel all tingly inside. I squeezed it gently and smiled at him, trying to apologize for my earlier behavior. The love in his eyes told me that he had already forgiven me.

"All right, baby girl, tell me everything you can remember about this guy so we can profile him," Derek told me, smiling comfortably.

"He always talked about 'Dr. Reid'," I remembered. "And when he mentioned the BAU, which he did frequently, he always said it like it was a bad word—like it tasted bitter in his mouth."

"What else?" Rossi wanted to know, making notes on his pad.

I thought hard for a minute, desperately trying to recall every little detail. "He knew my name. And we drove for about forty-five minutes before we got to where he was holding me."

The team took more notes as I wracked my brain for more clues that would help them. Then, I remembered something else.

"Whenever he would…" I paused and they immediately knew what I was talking about. "It seemed forced almost. He was pleased afterward, when he saw how upset I was." Here I stopped abruptly, the memories overwhelming me.

"It's okay if you need a minute, Stella," Hotch assured me quietly. "We all understand that you've been through a terrible ordeal."

I shook my head and sniffed back the tears. "No, I need to go on. You need to catch this guy. Soon."

Spencer stroked the back of my hand softly with his thumb. I could feel the pain I was causing him, just by telling details of what had happened to me.

"Anything else, sweetness?" Morgan wanted to know.

"When I was awake, I thought about a lot of things. He kept me drugged, almost as if he felt sorry for treating me so badly. The food he gave me—it was good. Like he'd gone to some trouble to prepare it."

"He's clearly a remorseful sexual predator," Rossi declared. "He doesn't want to do the deed, but afterwards, he's gotten that high and it makes him feel good at that moment. Still, once that high is gone, he feels remorseful once again."

"He wasn't raping her for the pleasure, though," Morgan pointed out. "He was doing it to get revenge for something we—or maybe Reid in particular—did to him. But, after the first time, he felt so good that he probably decided to do it again and again."

All of a sudden, I'd had all I could take. I pushed away from the table and ran out of the room as fast as my legs could carry me, gasping for air desperately.

"Stella?" Reid called, coming after me. "Are you okay?"

I leaned over, still trying to breathe normally as I shook my head. "I can't listen to them talking about me like that," I sobbed. "I hate being the victim."

"They didn't meant to make you feel that way," Reid assured me. "They just go into profiling mode. It's not something they do on purpose." He pulled me into a tight hug.

"I know it isn't," I whispered, burying my face in the warmth of his sweater vest. "It still bothers me, though."

After the team constructed the profile, using my description and what they'd learned from the other information I'd given them, Garcia went to work on her computers, trying to find the guy. Rossi ordered Chinese takeout for everyone and we ate around the conference table. Everyone was pretty quiet, just waiting for Garcia to let us know the results of her cyber search.

After an hour, she came into the room, holding three files in her hands. "Okay, I've narrowed it down to three suspects who might've hurt our baby." She handed me the files.

I opened the first one and saw with disappointment that it wasn't the man who'd kidnapped me. Neither was the second. But, when I opened the third folder and saw those eyes staring up at me off the page, I dropped the file like it was hot.

"That's him," I whispered hoarsely. "That's the guy who kidnapped me."

Morgan took the folder from where I'd dropped it and read aloud for everyone to hear. "Roger Fields, age forty-three. He was the father of a victim we discovered in that Savannah, Georgia case a year back."

"You mean the one who attacked me and was arrested?" Reid spoke up.

"That's the guy," Garcia replied sadly. "According to local law enforcement records, he's been arresting three times since his daughter's death for busting up a local pub when he got too drunk, being a public nuisance, and attacking a police officer. He broke the officer's arm and a few ribs."

"What does he have against Spencer?" I wanted to know. "Isn't that what pushed him over the edge?"

"I didn't find the pattern in the unsub's notes soon enough," Spencer remembered, his thoughts far away. "If I'd only seen it a little sooner, I think we might could've saved his daughter, but we didn't."

"So he decided to take it out on me?" I exclaimed. "He became the same kind of monster that murdered his daughter."

"We need to pick this guy up," Morgan reminded everyone. "Garcia, tell me you've got an address."

"You're in luck, my sweet Derek. He's renting a small, run-down home on the outskirts of Alexandria. He only started renting it two months ago," she told him, handing him a sticky-note with the address written on it.

"Morgan, Rossi, and J.J., you're with me on this one," Hotch announced, getting up from the table.

"Emily and Reid, I want you two to stay here with Stella, in case he should try to…just stay here." He ended his sentence abruptly, but I didn't have to be a rocket scientist to figure our what he'd been about to say.

An hour went by, and the team didn't return. I waited impatiently, tapping my fingers on the desk and dozing in the comfortable chair. Reid went to brew a fresh pot of coffee while Emily took care of some paperwork, so I decided to go talk to Garcia about her wedding plans.


	37. Final Confrontation

_Stella's POV_

"I was thinking a small chapel wedding with a long train and maybe light pink roses everywhere," Garcia declared, gesturing wildly with her hands.

I wrinkled my nose in distaste. "How about on the beach, in Jamaica or the Bahamas?" I suggested. "With a soft, flowy dress and bare feet." The idea sounded perfect to me.

Penelope tilted her head to one side. "You know, that isn't a half bad idea," she decided. "I like it. We could all get one of those packaged deals."

"Of course Emily would have to be my Maid of Honor, but you and J.J would be my bride's maids," I told her, enjoying the fact that the wedding plans were taking my mind off where Hotch, Morgan, Rossi, and J.J. were.

"I'll bet that Reid picks Derek to be his Best Man, which makes sense, since Derek Morgan is possible the best man on the planet!"

"I think I'd have to disagree, as would Emily," I gently reminded her. "We both think our men are the best. But then, we all know how close you and Derek are."

"Good point," Penelope agreed, typing Jamaican resorts into a Google search page. "Now, let's see where you two should get married at."

"You know what? I'm gonna go get some of that coffee that Spence made and see if they're back yet. If you find anything breathtaking, just let me know. I'll be right up the hallway."

Outside, I realized that things seemed strangely quiet. Too quiet. Instantly, my mind traveled back to Hotch's words, _"…stay here with Stella, in case he should try to…"._ My first instinct was to run back to the safety of Garcia's bunker-like office, but then I yelled at myself. What a wimp I'd turned into, just because one man had tried to cause Reid pain by hurting me. It was completely unacceptable of myself.

Slowly, I crept down the hallway towards the bullpen where all the desks were. Several things caught my eye immediately; Emily lying unconscious on the floor next to her desk and the coffee pot shattered on the floor nearby. Spencer was nowhere to be seen, which scared me more than anything.

Very quietly, I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and speed dialed Garcia, then put the phone to my ear very quietly.

"Hey, cuteness, what's up?" she answered cheerfully.

"Lock your door," I whispered urgently. "NOW! And call Morgan!"

"Why?" she asked anxiously, immediately catching on to the seriousness of the situation.

"Just do it. _He _is here." That was all I had time for, so I hung up. I could see Fields in the BAU room with my beloved Spencer, something that terrified me more than being raped again.

I started towards the room, unable to wait for Penelope's call to take effect. A gun on an agent's desk caught my eye and I picked it up slowly, vaguely thinking about what it would be like to shoot someone to save the man I loved. Hiding it in the back of my jeans, I walked bravely up to the BAU room where Fields was talking with Reid, who looked a little nervous.

"Looking for me?" I asked, trying to make my voice sound strong as I stood in the doorway.

Fields whirled around and Spencer went white. "Get out of here, Stella!" he insisted. "It's me he wants, not you."

I shook my head. "I'm not going anywhere, Spencer. Not until this monster lets you go."

Fields picked up his gun and aimed it at Spencer's head, taking my breath away. I couldn't lose Reid—not after I'd just gotten back to him.

"Do you know what this son-of-a-bitch did?" He spat. "Because of him, my daughter died at the hands of a monster!"

"Which is exactly what you have become," I chided him gently, praying that any negotiation skills I had would work here.

My words seemed to phase him for a few seconds, but then he grew angry once more. "Do you know what happened to my daughter before she was brutally murdered? She was raped over and over again. Starved. Kept tied up."

Reid nodded at me slightly, telling me to continue what my talking. I inhaled deeply, then went on.

"So you decided to do the same thing to me, right? You wanted Spencer—Dr. Reid—to feel the same kind of pain that you felt, right?"

"Exactly!" Fields exclaimed, almost smiling. "You understand what I have to do, then, don't you?"

I shook my head. "No, sir, I don't. See, it gets more twisted, I think. You decided to do all that to me—the raping, the starving, holding me prisoner—but what you never planned on was how much you'd enjoy the thrill of watching your victim beg for mercy." My voice became cold and hard as I spoke about the recent events that had left me permanently scarred.

"No," Fields denied my accusations, backing away from Reid and therefore moving the gun from it's aim. "I didn't enjoy it. I just wanted him to know what it was like to see some he loved go through that, die like that."

"So the bomb part was just some sick joke?" I questioned, moving a little closer. My hand itched to pull the gun from where I had it placed, but I knew I had to wait for the opportune moment to do that. "You thought you'd take him down with me, huh?"

Fields smiled this time and I saw the evil gleaming in his dark eyes. Those eyes that haunted me during my sleep. "The bomb was sheer brilliance, except that I didn't figure on you being able to jam my cell phone service. When I couldn't kill you there, I decided this was the next best place."

I finally decided that this was the right time and I pulled the gun before he even saw it coming. Fortunately for me, Reid and Morgan had instructed me on shooting techniques several weeks ago, just in case I ever needed to know how.

"You do live in a big city," Morgan had said. I was willing to bet he'd never imagined I'd be using my training inside Quantico.

"I want you to put the gun down, or I will kill you," I threatened. "Let Spencer go. NOW!" I repositioned my grip on the weapon and aimed directly for his chest, prepared to do whatever was necessary to save Spencer's life.

"Stella," he mouthed to me. " I love you." I knew he didn't think this was going to end well for any of us.

"You shoot me, I'll shoot your boyfriend," Fields warned, not letting go of his handgun. "And you'll be all alone in the world."

"She's my fiancée, you S.O.B," Reid told him. This only seemed to make him more angry and he

"You are one sick bastard," I muttered. "Please, don't make me do this. I do not want to have to kill you, but I will."

"Fine, do it. If you kill me, you're killing your fiancée," Fields warned me, that same sadistic smile twisting his face.

Here I was, faced with a choice that was impossible to make. If I shot Fields, he would shoot(and most likely kill) Spencer. Still, if I didn't shoot him, the chances of him killing were just as great if not more so. What was I supposed to do?

_Okay, I'm having to send my laptop back because of a battery recall, so I'm trying to finish the story by Sunday. YIKES!!! Just stay with me, cause I'm going to be posting as fast as I can write, which is pretty fast. Let me just say this: Be prepared for an epilogue._


	38. Situation Resolved

_Stella's POV_

Just as I was trying to decide what to do, two gunshots rang out loudly and the glass window of the BAU room shattered loudly. I ducked and covered my face as glass flew everywhere.

"Stella?" I heard Spencer calling my name. "Give me the gun, Stella. It's over."

I looked up and saw that he was right. Morgan and Rossi were standing over Fields, who had been shot twice in the chest. Spencer was safe and sound, but still holding out his hand for the weapon that I held clenched in mine.

Gently switching the safety back on, I placed it in his hand and he immediately put it on the table and scooped me up in his skinny, but strong arms. "You were so brave, baby," he whispered, holding me close.

"Who shot him?" I wanted to know, looking up from my safe asylum in Reid's arms.

"I did," Morgan replied sadly. Even he didn't like having to take a life.

I loosened myself easily from Spencer's protective arms; He knew I needed to comfort Derek for a few minutes, even though he wanted to keep me close to him.

"Morgan," I whispered, putting my hand on his arm. "Thank you. You kept me from making an impossible choice. I'm sorry you had to do that."

He gave me a small smile. "Baby girl, what else was I going to do. That man was threatening my family. I always look out for my family."

I hugged him tightly. "I know you do, Derek. I know you do."

He kissed me on the cheek and squeezed me tight for a minute.

"Emily!" I exclaimed, suddenly remembering that I'd seen her lying unconscious on the floor outside.

"Hotch is with her," Rossi assured me. "She'll just have a bad headache, but J.J. already called for a team of medics to come up. Looks like you could use some bandages yourself."

"What are you talking about?" I asked. Then, I looked down at my arm and saw what he was talking about. Several large shards of glass had imbedded themselves in my flesh and my arm was bleeding considerably. "Oh," was all I said. The adrenaline was still rushing through my veins and I didn't even feel the pain yet.

Down in the bullpen, Emily was sitting in a chair, Hotch kneeling by her side and trying not to hold her hand, since they were in the FBI building where their relationship was forbidden.

"Stella!" Emily exclaimed. "Are you hurt?" She looked down at my arm but I waved her concerns away.

"Just a little glass is all," I told her. "What about you?"

"Just a concussion," Hotch informed me, looking at both of us lovingly. "I'm glad you're both okay."

"That makes two of us," Reid agreed, standing behind me and putting an arm around my waist.

"We're all glad that you're okay," Rossi spoke up, finishing talking to the agents who were taking the body away.

"I have to second that, loved ones," Garcia declared, leaning on Derek's arm. "I just hope you can all stay out of trouble for a little while so we can plan the wedding."

I leaned back against Spencer, wincing as my arm began to burn and ache at last. "I like Pen's idea—just stay safe for a while."

"I agree. Now, let's get that arm of yours looked at," Spencer suggested.

It was late when we finally got home. We'd had to go to the E.R. and I'd had the shards of glass removed from my arm, which had been a very painful process. Now, my entire right arm, from my wrist to my elbow, was wrapped in clean white bandages.

Hotch had taken Emily home earlier because of her mild concussion and she was upstairs asleep already. Hotch had crashed on the sofa and he was sound asleep, no doubt worn out as well.

"Walk me upstairs," I whispered to Reid, not wanting to wake the older man. "Tuck me in."

He nodded without a word and followed me upstairs, letting me lead him as we went. It felt a little odd, knowing that the two adults in the house were asleep. Spencer didn't count as an adult—he was my fiancée.

In the bathroom, I quickly slipped into my cheerleading shorts and an oversized FBI t-shirt. When I emerged, Spencer had turned the covers down for me.

"You look beautiful," he told me simply as I shook down my long ponytail.

I blushed. "Thanks," I replied, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"I should go," Reid said finally, breaking the awkward silence and getting up from where he was.

"Wait!" I stopped him, grabbing his hand before he could get away from me. "At least kiss me goodnight."

He smiled as I slid my legs underneath the covers and pulled the sheet and comforter up over me, Spencer sat back down, leaned over and pressed his lips against mine. I parted my lips eagerly and our tongues battled violently. Before I realized it, Spencer was on top of me, his mouth trailing fiery kisses down my neck. I clutched at his shirt and ran my fingers through his hair. My control began to gradually slip away but luckily for me, Reid managed to keep his head.

"Baby, we can't—I can't—do this. You'd regret it in the morning," he told me, pulling back a little.

I sighed. "I know. You're right. Sorry. I just got a little swept up in the moment."

"I love you, Stella, and I'm not going to let you do something that you'd hate yourself for. The first time we…well, we're going to be married."

"I love you, too, Spence," I replied, relaxing back against the pillow. "Thank you for tucking me in."

"Goodnight, baby," he whispered, placing a kiss on my forehead and then one more quick one on my lips. "We got him," he reminded me.

"I know."

The next day was filled with paperwork and filling out statements about what happened. Morgan, especially, had lots to do because he had been the one to fire the shots. As I sat in Spencer's chair and watched everyone working, I sighed happily. It was a strange thing, but the day that my foster parents had been killed would always stand out in mind as bittersweet. Bitter because they'd been killed and sweet because that was when I'd met my family.

_Epilogue will be posted within the next couple of hours! This is it, folks. It has been a pleasure writing for you and your reviews have been great! I love this story—every tiny detail, twist, and word. You guys have been incredible readers and supporters. Thanks so much!_


	39. Epilogue

_Epilogue_

_Six months later, Stella and Spencer were married. They repeated their vows on the beach in Negril, Jamaica. Emily was the Maid of Honor, with J.J. and Garcia serving as bridesmaids. Derek was Reid's Best Man while Hotch and Rossi served as groomsmen. During the small reception, Hotch asked Emily if she would be his wife. They married the next day in an impromptu ceremony with all their closest friends present. _

_Stella attended George Washington University in D.C. She obtained a degree in Criminal Justice and graduated with honors. At dinner that night, she and Reid announced that they were expecting their first child. Two minutes later, Emily and Hotch made the same proclamation. They, too, were expecting their first child and Emily and Stella were due within two months of each other. _

_After the birth of her baby, Stella was accepted to the FBI academy and within eighteen months, she managed to get on with the BAU and began working as a profiler, but the main part of her job was to deal with the victims that survived—making sure they got the help they needed. _

_Someone once asked Stella how she could work around so much horror after everything she'd seen, how she could do that job. Her reply was, "after everything I've been through, how can I __NOT __do this job?" At times, however, cases did get to her, but she always had her family to turn to. She always had Spencer to turn to. _

_Whenever people asked Stella how she was related to Emily, the younger woman simply told them, "she's my sister." Hotch was a brother, as was Morgan. J.J and Garcia made for great sisters, but Rossi preferred the term 'uncle' rather than brother. _


End file.
